Rogue
by BookCritic16
Summary: Warriors Fan Fiction - Featherpelt had her whole life ahead of her with a loving mate, two newly apprenticed kits, and the promotion of deputy. What happens when she is exiled for the murder of her leader Eaglestar?
1. Chapter One - The Stranger

Featherpelt climbed out of the abandoned badger set, shivering as a cold breeze prickled her silver tabby pelt. The trees above her swayed against the wind, disposing a shower of leaves on the forest floor below. Featherpelt let out a hiss of annoyance as leaves and leaf bits fell on her pelt. _Leaf-bare is coming._ She thought with disgust.  
Her stomach growled in reply.  
After giving herself a quick grooming, she tasted the air, trying to pin point the different scents of prey. Her mouth watered as a whiff of mouse tickled her nostrils. She turned in the direction of its scent and groaned when she heard the tiny creature rustling in a patch of thorn bushes near a grassy clearing.  
_Prey is prey. _her mentor Eagletail's voice echoed in her mind. She remembered him telling her that after complaining about catching a scrawny vole compared to Cloudpaw's plump rabbit. Eagletail – after scolding her for being ungrateful - reminded her that no matter how decrypted the prey appeared, fresh-kill was appreciated by all Clan members, especially during the hard season of leaf-bare.  
Though the idea of ripping thorns out of her pelt for the rest of the day wasn't very appealing, Featherpelt dropped into a hunter's crouch and crept silently along the ground. As she neared the bush, a fat dormouse scrabbled into the clearing, oblivious to the predator in front of it. Licking her lips, she rocked back on her haunches and pounced on the tiny creature. It let a squeak of pain as her claws sunk into its soft, brown fur. She clasped her jaws around its neck, cutting off the noise.  
"Breakfast," she purred, carrying her prize to a sunny spot in the chilling forest. She stretched out on a rock and began to eat her meal. As she chewed her food, memories of sharing meals with her friends flooded her mind. A sense of loneliness spread through her, making her lose her appetite.  
_I miss Thunderclan. _she thought miserably, burying the mouse. She didn't want to attract foxes when it started to decompose. Then, to take her mind off her former home, she darted into the forest to freshen the scent markings of her territory.

Featherpelt had finished reinstating her borders by Sun High. She was about to return to her den when a warm wind brushed against her fur. "Just what I needed," she grumbled after smelling the sharp tang of rain. "A storm." Though the rogue wasn't hungry, she needed to hunt before the storm came. The last time a storm went through, it had lasted for three days. Though she had caught prey before in the rain, but it had poured constantly, making it impossible to find anything. She was starving by the time it cleared.  
_I won't be so foolish this _time. She told herself. The chattering of a squirrel caught her attention. She stalked through the undergrowth until she spied the furry gray rodent, busily gnawing on an acorn. She was about to drop to her paws when her tail brushed against some low hanging ferns. The squirrel froze and glanced around the trees nervously. Featherpelt held her breath, silently cursing herself. _Always keep your tail still_, Eagletail had told her. _The prey will hear you otherwise. _  
Fortunately, after a furtive glance around the trees, the squirrel returned to its nut. Featherpelt exhaled, then, resumed her hunt. As soon as it was within pouncing distance, she sprang into the air. The squirrel saw her too late. It tried to run, but the rogue was already on top of it. She snapped its neck, thanking Star Clan for her good luck. Then, she kicked dirt over her prey and sniffed the area for more potential prospects.

Her hunting proved to be a success. In addition to her squirrel, she managed to snag a plump pigeon and a scrawny vole. She shook her head at the vole as its appearance reminded her how close leaf-bare was.  
Featherpelt collected her prey and began to transport the fresh-kill back to her den when a crack of lightning rippled across the now gray sky. She flinched as she had a flashback of that stormy day many seasons ago.  
She and her sister Maplepaw were on a hunting assessment when they heard a clap of thunder. Featherpelt tried to warn her sister that they shouldn't be hunting near the trees with the upcoming storm, but Maplepaw retorted she wasn't her mentor and ran off to chase a squirrel up an aspen tree. Lightning struck that same tree. She remembered hearing a blood curdling scream and watched in horror as a Maplepaw tumbled out of the tree, dead. The squirrel was still clamped in her jaws.  
Featherpelt recoiled at the memory and started to run back to the badger set. She didn't want to think about the thunder, Maplepaw, or the reason why she became a rogue in the first place. All she wanted to do was eat her fresh kill and sleep through this storm.  
The sky darkened to where it was almost pitch black, and raindrops fell on her pelt. _Mouse dung! _She thought. The she cat increased her speed. In the process, she dropped her pigeon but didn't stop to get it. She hated to waste prey, but all she cared about was getting back to her den.  
Featherpelt shivered as she raced through the forest. Freezing rain poured from the clouds, stinging her eyes and biting her fur. The wind picked up and pushed against her. She flew off the ground, forcing her to drop the remaining prey. The wind tossed her unceremoniously against a boulder, her head colliding with the stony surface. She rolled off the rock and crashed onto the forest floor. The spongy ground spun around her, making her feel dizzy and lightheaded. A warm sensation trickled down her head and into her eyes. Blood.  
"_Starclan, help me!" _she cried while lying on the ground.  
As if an answer, a voice yowled, "What are you doing out in the rain?"  
Featherpelt turned her head weakly and squinted, trying to see through the hazy sheet of blood and rain. She made out the outline of a black tom looming over her.  
"That's one wicked cut you got there," he mewed. Before she could reply, the stranger grabbed the scruff of her neck and dragged the she cat into a shallow cave located on the other side of the boulder.

The cave's interior was warm. The floor was lined in moss, giving it a cozy feeling. A stream ran along the backside of the cave, producing fresh, clean air. There was even a small fresh kill pile in the center of the cave. Featherpelt guessed this cat must have been part of a clan at some point.  
The tom lowered her gently into a nest made of moss and feathers. It reminded her of the nest she had in the nursery back in Thunder Clan. "Thank you," she croaked.  
The stranger dipped his head. "My pleasure. Get some rest. When you wake up, you can tell me what you were doing out in the rain," he remarked.  
She managed a weak nod, for she was exhausted. "What's your name?"  
He hesitated. "My name is…Night," the tom stated.  
_He's hiding something. _she thought. Before she could call him out on it, she felt his tongue rasp against her cut. She flinched. "Stay still," he murmured. Featherpelt was about to protest, but the rhythmic licking lulled her into a deep sleep.

A clap of thunder startled Featherpelt into consciousness. She panicked at first when she didn't recognized her surroundings until she remembered yesterday's events. She sighed with relief and climbed out of the nest. Her head felt sticky and still throbbed in pain from squirmish with the wind, but it was more of a dull ache.  
She shook fur out, getting rid of the feathers clinging to it. She sneezed as one floated onto her nose.  
Movement rustled out of the corner of her eye. She turned and saw Night. "Morning," he greeted, licking a forepaw.  
Featherpelt dipped her head to him in greeting. "Thanks for last night," she mewed.  
"No problem," he said. "It's not every day I get visitors."  
Featherpelt studied him. Night was a sturdy black tom with broad shoulders and powerful muscles. Gray hairs tinged Night's muzzle. Featherpelt figured if he had been a clan cat, he would be probably be close to joining the elders. His body was covered in scars, though his face remained unmarred. _He must protect his face in battle. _She thought. _He doesn't even have a nicked ear. _As she pondered this, he seemed vaguely familiar, though she had no recollection of ever meeting him.  
Suddenly, her stomach growled. She groaned. _Why didn't I eat that whole mouse yesterday?_  
Featherpelt glanced at Night, hoping he didn't hear that. Unfortunately, he did. "Would you like some fresh-kill?" he offered, nodding his head towards the fresh kill pile.  
"Yes, please," she blurted.  
Night's whiskers twitched as he padded over to the fresh kill pile and selected a rabbit. "Here." He laid it at her paws.  
"Thanks," she said.  
Before she could begin eating her rabbit, Night asked, "So, are you going to tell me why a Clan cat is traveling alone?"  
Featherpelt's fur prickled with unease. "How – How did you know I came from the clans?"  
"Your entire demeanor screams Clan cat," he declared. "Though I have to admit, you accepting a meal you haven't caught yourself threw me off. I thought you cats lived by some code that said you can't eat unless you've fed the clan or something."  
"How do you know so much?" she demanded, though she already had an idea.  
"My mother….she was….part of the clans at some point," he said quickly. "But that's not important. Will you tell me why you are out here alone?"  
Featherpelt knew he was lying, but she didn't say anything about it. tShe really didn't want to explain why she became a rogue. To her, it was complicated, and he may kick her out if he knew the truth. On the other paw, she concluded, he would know something was wrong if she tried to change the subject. Either way, she was trapped.  
She took a deep, shaky breath. "You really don't want to know," Featherpelt mewed. "You may throw me out if I told you."  
Night's green eyes studied her. "Try me." When Featherpelt hesitated, the tom sighed in frustration. "I'll make you deal. If you tell me why you aren't part of the clans anymore, I'll – I'll tell you why _I'm_ a rogue."  
Featherpelt knew she wasn't getting out of this one. _Worst case scenario, he'll throw me out in the rain._ "Okay, I'll tell you. But get comfortable. The story is long."  
"That's okay. We have plenty of time to talk," Night meowed, gesturing with bushy black tail to the rain outside.  
Featherpelt padded back to her nest and settled in it. Night went the fresh kill pile, selected a plump pigeon, and laid down in his nest across hers.  
"Alright, Clan Cat, why are you a rogue?" the tom inquired, taking a bite from the pigeon.  
"Before I begin, let's get two things straight," she said, trying to keep the edge of annoyance out of her voice. "First, stop calling me 'Clan Cat'. My name is Featherpelt. Secondly, do not judge me until I'm finished with my story."  
"Okay, _Featherpelt_, please begin."  
Featherpelt bit into the rabbit and swallowed, savoring the bloody taste. "It all began the day my kits became apprentices….."


	2. Chapter Two - A New Position

Six moons earlier…..

Sunkit squirmed as Featherpelt washed his ear. "Mom, stop that! You're embarrassing me!" he yowled. The other queen Birdsong, who was lounging in the corner of the nursery, smirked. Her two kits Skykit and Breezekit watched the scene with different expressions. Skykit appeared indifferent while his sister flashed Sunkit a sympathetic look.  
"I'm so glad _I _don't have to take baths," the tabby brown tom boasted to his sister.  
Breezekit glared at him. "Yes, we do, Skykit! Every afternoon after –"  
"Forget I even said anything."  
Sunkit wriggled from his mother's grip. "I'm clean enough," he declared, swiping a paw over his head to smooth out the spiky, wet fur.  
Featherpelt's whiskers twitched. "I just want you to look your best for your apprentice ceremony," she remarked. The words weren't out of her mouth five seconds when her other kit Silverkit crashed into the nursery and accidentally ran into her brother. The two kits tumbled into the moss, Silverkit sprawled on top of Sunkit.  
"Ger rof me," he growled through Silverkit's fur.  
"Oops. Sorry, Sunkit," she said, scrambling off him.  
Sunkit stood up and shook out his golden brown pelt. He glanced warily in Featherpelt's direction, scared she was going to give him another bath.  
Featherpelt shook her head at them. She was going to miss their antics once she got back to warriors' duties. "Where's the mouse, Silverkit?  
"Eaglestar just jumped onto High Rock!" the silver kit squealed, jumping up and down excitedly. "It's time!"  
"What are we waiting for?" Sunkit said. "Let's go!" Before the two kits could rush out of the nursery, Featherpelt stepped on their tails. Silverkit face planted in a pile of moss while Sunkit flashed her an annoyed look.  
The queen lifted her paw off their tails. "I know you two are excited, but –"  
Eaglestar's yowl cut her off. "Let all cats old enough to catch their prey join here under High Rock for a clan meeting!"  
The two kits gave their mother pleading looks. They were anxious to leave. Featherpelt couldn't blame them. She remembered being the same way for her apprentice ceremony. "- please act like you have some sense," she finished. The queen brushed a fleck of moss hanging off Silverkit's ear and nudged them towards the bramble entrance of the nursery. "Go on. The Clan is waiting for you."  
Sunkit and Silverkit padded out the nursery, their heads and tails held high. Featherpelt followed them into the clearing where the Clan was already gathered around High Rock. She took a position at her mate Falconwing's side, who greeted her with a lick. As she watched Sunkit and Silverkit make their way to the base of huge boulder, she couldn't help but think how her two kits looked like tiny copies of her and her mate when they were apprentices.  
"I remember when that was us," Falconwing whispered, his voice teeming with pride.  
Featherpelt flicked her ears in acknowledgement as Eaglestar began the ceremony. "Cats of Thunderclan, Sunkit and Silverkit are at six moons and are now able to begin their apprenticeship." He stopped and stared down at Sunkit. The kit held his amber gaze, unafraid. "Please step forward, Sunkit," Eaglestar commanded.  
The young tom obeyed and stepped closer to the rock. "From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this young cat shall be known as Sunpaw."  
"Sunpaw! Sunpaw!" the Clan cheered with Falconwing and Featherpelt cheering the loudest.  
"Hawkclaw? May you step forward as well?" Eaglestar called.  
Featherpelt held her breath as a muscular brown tabby padded towards the base of High Rock. Hawkclaw was Falconwing's brother and Eaglestar's son. He thought he was Starclan's gift to everything and treated everyone as if they were inferior to him since his father was Clan leader. Featherpelt never got along with him as apprentices, and even as warriors they still squabble occasionally on patrols.  
"I should have talked to Eaglestar about this," she muttered.  
"What?" Falconwing asked quietly.  
"Nothing," she mewed, returning her attention back to Hawkclaw and Eaglestar.  
"Hawkclaw, you were a fine mentor to Riverbreeze." He nodded to a blue gray tom sitting in the second row of the crowd. "Once again, I ask you to mentor another apprentice."  
The tom dipped his head. "I accept, Eaglestar." Hawkclaw touched noses with Sunpaw, then retreated with his new apprentice to the crowd of Clan cats.  
Eaglestar then focused his gaze on Silverkit. Featherpelt stared intently at her. She looked incredibly nervous and…almost scared to be an apprentice. _What is she so scared about?_ She wondered.  
Suddenly, a black cat dashed across the clearing to stand beside Silverkit. She suppressed a gasp. The cat sitting next to Silverkit was the Clan's medicine cat – and Featherpelt's littermate – Whitetail.  
"Sorry I'm late," the tom panted, his unusually white tail drooping. "I was tending to Blackfang's leg."  
Eaglestar gazed warmly at Whitetail. "It's okay," he said. "You haven't missed anything."  
Featherpelt thought it was odd Eaglestar didn't berate Whitetail for being late to a clan meeting. He always put cats on apprentice duties for a quarter moon if they were late, regardless if they had a good excuse. _Then again, he was always sweet on me and Whitetail. _she thought.  
Eaglestar's voice brought her back to reality. "Until this day forward, until she has earned her warrior name, Silverkit will be known as Silverpaw." Silverpaw touched noses with Whitetail while the clan cheered for her.  
"Did you know Silverpaw wanted to be a medicine cat?" Falconwing whispered to his mate.  
Featherpelt shook her head. "She never mentioned it. Maybe she was afraid we'd talk her out of it."  
Falconwing sighed. "There's no reason for her to be afraid. Whether she's a medicine cat or warrior, I'd still be proud of her."  
Eaglestar twitched his tail, silencing the clearing. "As you all know, we recently won a battle with Riverclan for Sunningrocks." A few yowls of triumph rolled through the clan. The Thunderclan leader waited until they were quiet before continuing. "Unfortunately, Blackfang injured his leg in battle. Though Whitetail has informed me he's expected to make a full recovery, Blackfang told me he is ready to join the elders." Before Eaglestar could continue, the clan chattered about this revelation.  
"Blackfang is joining the elders?" echoed a ginger apprentice.  
"Well, he hasn't been up to par in the last few moons, Foxpaw," the apprentice's mentor Stormclaw mewed.  
"It's about time," his mate Grayheart agreed.  
"Who's going to be our deputy then?" Hawkclaw yowled, his voice drowning out the others.  
"Yeah! Who's going to be our deputy?" the clan chorused.  
Eaglestar lashed his tail in frustration. "Let me finish!" he growled. He took a breath, then resumed speaking. "Since Blackfang is retiring, the time has come for me to _appoint_ a new one." His eyes traveled over the clan until his gaze rested on Featherpelt. A shiver traveled down her spine. It seemed creepy the way he always looked at her. Even when he had been her mentor, he always looked at her with awe and pride, even though she wasn't his kin. Ever since she had been kitted, Eaglestar had always acted like a father figure to her. Not that she minded, but it seemed weird that he never treated his sons – _his own kin_ – the same way.  
She pressed herself against Falconwing's pelt, the way she did when she was nervous. His presence always seemed to soothe her.  
"I say these words before StarClan, so that they may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of Thunderclan shall be…Featherpelt." Shocked mews rippled across the clan. Falconwing leaned away from her. Heads turned to stare at the she cat, their expressions varying from surprise and delight while Hawkclaw glared at her.  
Featherpelt's heart hammered in her chest. She was starting to feel self-conscious of the all the attention.  
"Do you accept this position?" Eaglestar asked.  
The clearing was dead silent, except Hawkclaw's hushed chanting in the background, "Don't say yes. Don't say yes,", all of them anxiously waiting for her answer.  
Featherpelt was almost tempted to say no. She didn't want to be deputy to a leader that treated her better than his own sons. _But this is the moment you have been dreaming of since you were a kit._ A voice reminded her. _Are you too afraid of a leader to accept the role?_  
_Of course not_. She remarked. Featherpelt, then, met Eaglestar's eyes. "I accept the position. I will serve the clan until my last breath."  
"Featherpelt! Featherpelt!" The clan chorused.  
Then, Eaglestar dismissed the meeting with a flick of his tail and disappeared into the curtain of lichen, concealing the leader's den at the base of High Rock. "Congratulations," Falconwing said, though he sounded as if his heart wasn't in it. It had never occurred to Featherpelt that he had wanted to be deputy as bad as his brother. As the clan cats broke into groups to begin their patrols, several cats passed Featherpelt and congratulated her. This seemed to anger Falconwing, who got up and left. Featherpelt stood up and called after her mate, but he seemed to not hear her and left with a border patrol. Hawkclaw shot her a glare before joining his brother. Sunpaw bounced at his side, spouting off a moon's worth of questions. He didn't seem to notice his mentor's mood.  
Featherpelt stared after her mate as he vanished from the gorse tunnel. Dark thoughts swirled inside her head. _Is it really that bad for me to be deputy? _She thought. _Will Falconwing not want to be mates with me anymore? _  
"I wouldn't worry about him," an albino she cat mewed, padding up to Featherpelt. "He'll get over it. So will Hawkclaw."  
Her voice dragged the new deputy out of her thoughts. "Do you really think so, Cloudflight?"  
"Of course I do," her best friend replied. "If he doesn't, then he wasn't worth your time." She dropped her mew. "Though if he's the cat I think he is, I'm sure he'll get over it."  
That made Featherpelt feel a little better. She scanned the clearing looking for Silverkit to take her mind of Falconwing. She spotted her entering the medicine cat den with Whitetail. _I wonder why she never told me she wanted to be a medicine cat._ She marveled for the second time that day.  
A paw prodded Featherpelt's shoulder. "Stop you're worrying, Featherpelt," Cloudflight commanded. "Let's go hunting. We need to celebrate you getting back to warrior duties!"  
Featherpelt laughed. Her friend was right. Falconwing would get over it, and her kits were going to be fine. "Sure, let's go!" she remarked.  
Before the two warriors could walk out of the gorse tunnel, Eaglestar yowled across the quiet clearing, "Featherpelt, come here! I need to talk to you!"  
"Coming!" the deputy replied. Though she wasn't thrilled about being alone in a den with her leader, she excused herself from Cloudflight and retreated to Eaglestar.  
"Fine! Leave me why don't you?" her friend teased before walking away from the gorse tunnel. Featherpelt rolled her eyes as she followed Eaglestar into his den.  
She gasped as a shock of cold air blasted her pelt as she passed through the curtain of lichen. The den was a lot cooler compared to the hot, greenleaf day.  
The Thunderclan leader sat in his nest of moss and looked down at her. Featherpelt met his eyes awkwardly, unsure what to do. She felt like a brand new apprentice that had just been given a brand new mentor.  
"You can sit, Featherpelt," Eaglestar finally said, amused. "I like to keep my meetings casual."  
His deputy obeyed and sat on the dirt floor. "What did you want to talk to me about, Eaglestar?" she asked. _The sooner we finish, the better._  
"I was just going to inform you what your duties as a deputy are," he explained, "but if you already know, then we can skip ahead to a more serious matter."  
"I'm familiar with deputy duties. What is this 'serious matter'?"  
Her leader's friendly, calm demeanor switched to a solemn, almost grim mood. He heaved a great sigh and dropped his mew, despite the fact no other cat could hear them in his den. "I was passing through Windclan territory –" He stopped when he saw Featherpelt gave him a strange look. "I was coming back from the Moonstone," he explained. "Anyways, as I walked on the border, I heard voices whispering from the bushes. I didn't pay them much attention until they said something about Thunderclan. I stopped and listened to what they were saying. I didn't recognize the voices, but they had Windclan and Shadowclan scents.  
"Anyways, as I eavesdropped on their conversation, I gathered they were planning a full scale invasion on Thunderclan."  
Featherpelt felt her claws unsheathe, her pelt bristling. "What in Starclan's name are they thinking?" she demanded.  
Eaglestar shook his head. "I truly don't know, but if I had to guess, they probably need more territory to feed their clans. After all, they are two of the biggest clans in the forest."  
A growl escaped her throat. "That still doesn't give them the right to attack us. There have always been four clans in the forest! They have sustained themselves off the land for generations! Why does now make any difference?"  
"I don't know. I wish we could ask Riverclan for help, but they won't be too keen on being allies after the battle for Sunningrocks. The only thing we can hope from them is that they stay neutral."  
Featherpelt didn't reply. She would like to say they should take patrols to Windclan and Shadowclan and attack them first, but she knew that wouldn't work. They would still be badly outnumbered, and the warriors were still weak after the battle for Sunningrocks.  
"Do you know when they are going to attack?" she inquired.  
"Soon, but I don't know how soon."  
"What are we going to do, then?"  
Eaglestar hunched his shoulders and sighed in defeat. He stared sadly at her. "I was afraid you were going to say that," he rasped. "I was hoping you'd come up with something,"  
Featherpelt stared at him in shock. _Did he just say that?_ She thought in awe yet anger. Eaglestar's eyes still lingered on her, waiting for her to respond. _What do I say? _She cried to StarClan. _What can I tell my leader? _  
_You know what to do, daughter. Use your head. _A voice, that same voice from earlier, echoed.  
Featherpelt recognized that voice. It was her mother. _Cherryheart?_ she called, but her mother was gone. She focused her attention back to Eaglestar. She took a deep a breath and told him what she had previously thought about sending patrols to Shadowclan and Windclan. "But I know we would be badly outnumbered, and we're too weak to fight after Sunningrocks," Featherpelt added. "All we can do know is prepare for invasion. We should increase patrols, have battle training sessions, keep the fresh-kill pile well-stocked, and make sure the medicine cat den has plenty of herbs."  
Eaglestar nodded his head, his expression grim. "I guess that's all we can do." He yawned and curled up in his nest. "I'll make the announcement as soon as everyone gets back from patrols. You can leave now, Featherpelt."


	3. Chapter Three - Treason

Two moons had passed since Featherpelt's meeting with Eaglestar. She and her clan mates worked tiredly through extra patrols and multiple battle training sessions, all to be prepared for a supposed invasion.  
"I don't understand why we have to do this," Sunpaw complained to his mentor while she and Cloudflight were on a hunting patrol with them.  
"I don't either," Hawkclaw mewed, "Maybe if our deputy had some sense-" he glanced hatefully in Featherpelt's direction, "We could attack Shadowclan and Windclan before they invade us."  
Featherpelt instinctively unsheathed her claws. _How dare him! _She thought. She was about to release a clever retort when Cloudflight whipped her tail over Featherpelt's muzzle.  
The Thunderclan deputy glared at her. "Must I remind you that _you _happen to be a deputy?" her friend hissed. "Arguing with him is kittish."  
Featherpelt swiped Cloudflight's tail away, spitting out the white hairs on clinging to her tongue. "I'm sick of him treating me like crow food!" she protested.  
Cloudflight sighed in exasperation. She opened her mouth to say something when Hawkclaw, who was now ahead of them, cut her off. "If you two are finished gossiping, let's continue our hunt!"  
"We were actually debating whether or not it would be a better idea to go hunting in pairs," Featherpelt retorted.  
"Did you hear anything I just said?" Cloudflight murmured.  
Featherpelt pretended not to hear her. "As _deputy_-" she relished rubbing it in Hawkclaw's face, "I think we should."  
Hawkclaw curled his lip at her in the beginning of a snarl. She saw him unsheathe his claws, making her instinctively flinch. Though she did outrank him, she knew he would not hesitate to attack her.  
Instead, he surprised her. The tabby tom turned his back to her. "Have it your way, then. We'll meet you at the Great Sycamore at Sun High," he said, curtly, walking away towards Tall Pines. Sunpaw gave his mother a sympathetic look before running to catch up with his mentor.  
"Where do you want to hunt?" Featherpelt asked her friend as soon as they were out of earshot.  
Cloudflight didn't seem to hear her. Her gaze still lingered on Hawkclaw's vanishing figure.  
"Cloudflight?" Featherpelt called.  
The white she cat tore her gaze from Hawkclaw and looked at Featherpelt, moony eyed. "Yeah?"  
"Where do you want to go hunting?"  
She looked at her confused. "Are we hunting?"  
Featherpelt stifled a laugh. "Have you forgotten, or is a certain tom on your mind?"  
Cloudflight shook her head fiercely. "Of course not," she mewed, indignantly. "I was, uh, thinking about where to find this…herb Whitetail asked me to find, um, for him."  
"Uh, huh," she remarked. "What herb are you looking for?"  
"Catmint," her friend said quickly.  
Featherpelt couldn't hold it in any longer. She burst out laughing. "Busted! Catmint is found _only_ in Twoleg gardens," she said in between laughs. "Even the kits know that!"  
Cloudflight turned her head away, embarrassed. "Fine, you caught me. I like Hawkclaw. Happy now?"  
Featherpelt grinned. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
Cloudflight sighed. "Because I know you hate him and was afraid you were going to talk me out of it."  
Featherpelt ceased laughing. Her friend wasn't wrong. Featherpelt thought Hawkclaw would be a terrible match for her. He was too arrogant and flirted with every she-cat in sight – excluding herself, of course. She knew he would break Cloudflight's heart if they ever became mates.  
_It's not my choice. _Featherpelt thought. _Thank Star Clan._  
"Cloudflight," she said, seriousness in her tone, "Yes, I hate Hawkclaw, but I would _never_ tell you what to do. If you like Hawkclaw, that's your choice, not mine." Cloudflight looked as if she was about to object, but the deputy cut her off. "No, I absolutely do not think he's a suitable mate, but, like I said before, it's _your_ decision."  
Cloudflight's face brightened. "Thank you, Featherpelt," she said. "Now, where are we going to hunt?"  
Featherpelt turned in the direction of Snakerocks. "Wouldn't it impress Hawkclaw if we caught an adder?"  
The albino warrior's pink eyes widened in excitement. "Yes! Let's go!" The two she-cats dashed off towards Snakerocks, giddy as two apprentices on their first hunt.

********

Featherpelt and Cloudflight decided to split up as soon as they got to Snakerocks.  
"Do you mind if I catch the adder by myself?" Cloudflight had asked.  
Featherpelt shook her silver head. "No. I'll check and see if there is any prey in the surrounding area. Just be careful, okay?"  
"You're worse than a fussy queen! I'll be fine!" Cloudflight whirled away and ran towards the giant mound of rocks. Featherpelt watched her leave. _Starclan help that she-cat._ She prayed.  
Featherpelt opened her mouth to taste the air for prey. Her mouth watered as she caught a whiff of mouse. _Perfect._ She crept through the undergrowth, crouching beneath bushes and sheltering ferns for cover. Soon, she spotted the mouse a few tail-lengths away from her, grooming itself. She needed to make this kill fast, for she was upwind of it. She quickly sneaked up on the mouse, careful not to step on any twigs that might alert her prey. She stopped a tail-length away, then, pounced. At the takeoff, Featherpelt had accidentally stomped on a leaf. The mouse heard its crunch and began to run away. The she cat stretched out her limbs, and, with the stroke of luck, landed right on top of it. There was an audible crack, and the mouse died.  
_Food for the Clan_. The deputy scooped up her prize, grimancing slightly at the bloody taste in her mouth. She knew her kill had been sloppy, but, like her mentor had always said, "Prey is prey."  
She padded towards Snakerocks to see how Cloudflight was doing when the rancid odor of crow food burned her nose. She gagged. "What in Starclan?" she implored. A few tail-lengths in front of her were the remains of dead thrush. Bile rose in her throat as she approached it. It was disgusting. The scent of decay was bad enough, but the sigh of maggots wriggling all over the corpse made Featherpelt shudder.  
She turned away from it, using all her will power to not vomit. "I am a ThunderClan deputy, not a squeamish kit," she reminded herself. She took a deep breath and focused her attention back on the thrush. She sniffed the area around it and caught the acrid odor of Shadowclan mixed with…Thunderclan scent. Her pelt bristled in outrage. _What cat would have the audacity to allow a Shadowclan warrior to hunt _i_n our territory? _She thought angrily. She sniffed the ground again, trying to pinpoint who the Thunderclan scent belonged to. She growled in frustration when she couldn't detect it. The odors of the dead thrush and Shadowclan overrode the Thunderclan scent.  
_I better report this to Eaglestar._ she thought_. It's time we took action against Shadowclan. _  
Featherpelt raced back to camp. As she dashed into the clearing, she noticed it was eerily quiet. There were no cats sharing tongues or eating fresh kill. Even Birdsong's kits were in the nursery, being unusually silent. _Those extra patrols are really putting a strain on the clan_. She pushed the thought aside. There were more serious matters at hand, besides a deserted camp. She ran to Eaglestar's den. "Eaglestar! Eaglestar, I need to talk to you!" she exclaimed, stopping at the lichen curtain.  
No answer.  
She poked her head into the den, checking to see if he was there. "Eaglestar? I-" The words never left her mouth. She stared in shock at her leader. The once powerful tabby was now laying limply in a pool of blood.


	4. Chapter Four - Exile

Featherpelt rushed into the den. "Eaglestar!" she called, praying he wasn't dead. She cringed as her paw stepped into a puddle of warm, sticky blood. She prodded her leader with a paw. "Please, Eaglestar! Wake up! Please don't join Starclan yet!" But her leader didn't respond. He just laid there, eyes closed. Featherpelt put her muzzle in his fur. Though she felt no real connection to him, he had still been her leader, mentor, and somewhat of a father figure.  
"Who did this to you?" she whispered to the corpse. "Who would kill their own clan leader?"

"You murdered him!" an outrage yowl remarked from behind her, interrupting her vigil.

"What are you talking about?" Featherpelt demanded, turning around to see Birdsong, glaring murderously at her. "I didn't kill- OW!" The pale ginger queen sank her teeth into Featherpelt's tail and hauled her out of the den and into the clearing.

She let go of her tail but stood guard over her. "If you so much as move a whisker, I will kill you myself," she hissed.

"Birdsong?" Breezekit and Skykit peeped their heads from the nursery. "Why is Featherpelt covered in blood?" Breezekit inquired.

"Kits, get back in the nursery," the queen ordered, fiercely. "You'll find out soon enough." The two kits obeyed. As soon as Birdsong turned her back to the nursery, they stuck their heads through the bramble entrance and watched the scene curiously.

Suddenly, the camp started to buzz with activity. Patrols poured from the gorse tunnel, cats either gathering fresh cats for battle training, going on more patrols, or simply staying behind to rest. Featherpelt momentarily forgot her predicament as she watched Cloudflight and Hawkclaw walk out of the tunnel together, side by side. An adder dangled from her friend's jaws, Hawkclaw staring at it with interest. "So, all you had to do was wait for it to strike, and you just caught in your jaws?" she heard him marvel.

Cloudflight nodded. "If really har, fough," she remarked through a mouthful of prey.

Featherpelt's heart leaped for Cloudflight's. Their plan had worked!

As Hawkclaw asked his companion another question, Cloudflight's glanced over at Featherpelt, probably to thank her, when she stared in horror at Featherpelt's paws. She gazed questionably at her. Before Featherpelt could say or do anything, Hawkclaw, who had been wondering why Cloudflight hadn't answered his question, followed her gaze, then glared at the deputy. He excused himself from the white she cat and darted over to Birdsong.

"Birdsong, what's wrong? Why do look as if you are about to kill her?" he asked, his gaze never leaving Featherpelt's.

"This treacherous she-cat murdered Eaglestar," she announced, raising her voice so the clan would hear.

The cats in the clearing gasped. Cloudflight stared at her disbelief. Hawkclaw lost control and barreled into her. The two wrestled in the clearing, cats moving out of their way. His long claws scorched her flank. Featherpelt cuffed him on the ear as hard as she could. Hawkclaw growled in rage and flipped her on her belly. She tried to pummel him off her with her back paws, but he maintained his position over her. He pinned her down and got in her face. Featherpelt craned her head to the side, but Hawkclaw pushed it back in place, so she could see him.

"I bet it hurt Eaglestar more when you ran your claws through his pelt," Hawkclaw snarled. Then, he bent down and wrapped his jaws around Featherpelt's throat.

She tried to inhale, but she was choking. Black spots danced in her vision. She thought she cried out for help, but no one came to her aid. The clan believed Birdsong. She was about to die for something she didn't do.

Suddenly, the pressure from her neck lightened. Her vision cleared enough to see a golden blob push Hawkclaw off her and grappled with him in the dirt. She laid on the ground, coughing and gasping for air. A cat rushed over to her. The cat's scent told her it was Cloudflight. "Whitetail's coming," she whispered. "Falconwing will take care of Hawkclaw."

Featherpelt was surprised to hear that. Falconwing hadn't spoken to her since Eaglestar had appointed her deputy. He went out of his way to avoid her and even stopped sleeping next to her in the Warrior's den.

A shred of hope made its way to the she-cat's heart. _Has he forgiven me? _She thought.

Featherpelt's vision restored. Whitetail and Silverpaw were busy tending to her injuries while she watched Falconwing and Hawkclaw tussled in the dirt. Hawkclaw had managed to pin his brother down, but Falconwing kicked him off. Hawkclaw landed on his back. Featherpelt heard the wind whoosh out of him. As she watched him flop on the ground, gasping for air, she felt a trill of silent satisfaction that he was experiencing what he had just put her through.

While Hawkclaw struggled to regain his breath, Falconwing nimbly stood over him. When his fit was over, Hawkclaw tried to escape from Falconwing's grasp but failed. He spat out a mouthful of blood and glared at him. "Brother, why are you defending this – this fox heart? She killed our father!" he thundered.

Falconwing readjusted his position on him and returned the glare. "I think you are attacking an innocent cat. Did you bother to check underneath her claws to see if there was any fur?"

The thought didn't seem to have registered to Hawkclaw. "Well, no, but-"

"He shouldn't have to!" Birdsong cut in. "I saw her standing over my mate's body. Her paws are covered in his blood. That's more than enough proof!"

Falconwing shook his head. "Birdsong, when Cherryheart died, you were seen standing over her body. Does that mean _you_ killed her?"

"Of course not!" Birdsong cried, indignantly. "She had been killed by a Shadowclan warrior, and I was saying my final good-byes to her."

"Well, don't you think Featherpelt was doing the same thing?"

Birdsong was silent.

"I thought so." Falconwing released Hawkclaw, then, padded over to Featherpelt. Genuine concern and sympathy plastered his features. "Featherpelt, what really happened in Eaglestar's den?" he demanded.

Featherpelt took a deep breath and spilled to the whole Clan what had transpired this morning, leaving out the part about the Thunderclan scent among the thrush. Tensions were high enough in the clan already. She didn't want her clan to start accusing each other of traitors. "Then, I came into the den to report what I saw when I found Eaglestar dead," she concluded.

Just as she finished that sentence, a boom of thunder shook the clearing. The cats glanced uneasily at the sky as dark, gray clouds started to gather and block out the sun.

"It's a sign from Starclan," Hawkclaw yowled. "She's lying."

"Shut up, Hawkclaw! You're not a medicine cat," Silverpaw chided.

Whitetail gave his apprentice a surprised yet stern look. Featherpelt was impressed at her daughter's courage. She used to be afraid to stand up for others. His apprentice returned a sour look that said, "Well, he's not."

"Silverpaw's right," Whitetail mewed to Hawkclaw. He sounded as if he was trying to keep the annoyance out of his tone. "You're not a medicine cat. That thunder just happened to sound after her words."

The tom snorted. "Whatever. I still think she's lying. She never met us at the Great Sycamore at Sun High, and I don't see a mouse in the fresh-kill pile."

"Well, I don't think she is," Falconwing and Cloudflight said at the same time. Cloudflight looked away, embarrassed.

"Check under her claws!" the elder Blackfang yelled.

"Yeah, check under her claws!" echoed a newly made warrior named Heatherfur.

Pretty soon the whole clan repeated the command over and over again until Falconwing silenced them with a flick of his tail. "Okay, Featherpelt. Show me your claws," he said.

Featherpelt breathed a sigh of relief and extended a forepaw. She was glad she hadn't scratched Hawkclaw, for his coat was almost the same shade of brown as Eaglestar's. Falconwing pulled out a tuft of fur from Featherpelt's claws and dropped it on the ground to examine it. Featherpelt cursed. The hair that had been extracted from her claws was brown, the same shade as Eaglestar's. _ That stupid mouse! Why couldn't I have caught a squirrel?_

Falconwing stared at it, horrified. "I don't believe it," he muttered.

"What is it, Falconwing?" Heatherfur's sister Blossumleaf called.

"She killed him," Falconwing announced in shock.

"I thought she was innocent," Hawkclaw sneered.

His brother narrowed his eyes him. "Silence." He focused his attention to Featherpelt. His eyes glistened with rage, grief, but worst of all, betrayal. "Leave, Featherpelt," he croaked.

Featherpelt's eyes widened in shock. "I swear to you by Starclan I didn't kill him!" she protested.

"Of course, you killed him! The evidence is right there." Hawkclaw gestured to the fur tuft with his tail. He turned to his brother. "Execute the traitor," he whispered to his brother. "She deserves it."

"I said, 'Leave'," Falconwing repeated, as if he had never him, "As of right now, you are exiled. If any of my cats find you on our territory, they have the right to kill you. Go."

The clan cleared a path to the gorse tunnel, giving her a wide berth. As she trudged towards the tunnel, she glanced at Cloudflight. Their eyes met, then, she averted her gaze as soon as she noticed Hawkclaw glaring at her. Featherpelt glanced at her kits. Silverpaw took a sudden interest in her paws. Sunpaw just at stared her, mirroring the emotions of the clan – shock, disbelief, and anger. She cast a final look at her former mate. An expressionless mask covered his face. All traces of warmth and kindness were gone.

"Justice!" Birdsong sang.

Featherpelt made it to the gorse tunnel. She cast a sad, final look around her former home. She knew this would be the last time she would ever stand in her camp. "Good-bye, Thunderclan," she muttered and walked out of the clearing….


	5. Chapter Five - Indecision

Present Day...

"Wait, that's it?" Night asked when she was finished. "That's how you became a rogue?"

Featherpelt sniffed, blinking back tears. She nodded her head, scared she'll cry if she spoke. The effort made her throat hurt.

"But why didn't you say something about your fight with Hawkclaw?" Night implored, "Why couldn't they just line up the tuft of fur to Eaglestar's pelt? Surely, mouse fur is lighter than cat fur."

Featherpelt let out a frustrated sigh. A few tears escaped, leaving hot, wet trails on her face. "Didn't you hear me? I had kept my claws sheathed during our fight! The mouse fur was the exact shade of brown as Eaglestar's, which to the clan is 'evidence'."

Night shook his head. "Don't you think there's something fishy about all this? I mean, you did say you put the mouse in the fresh kill pile before seeing Eaglestar, right?"

"I don't remember. It was all a blur."

"But even if you did, fresh kill just doesn't run off. Someone must have moved it."

"I could have left it by the thrush or dropped it on the way, like I did yesterday," Featherpelt pointed out. "But it doesn't matter. I'm in exile. This is my life now." She curled up in her nest, putting her back to him. She didn't feel like talking about it anymore. Her head throbbed, adding to her distress.

Night took the hint and didn't say anything else about the subject. Instead, she heard him pad over to her nest and stood over it. "How's your head?" he asked.

"It's okay," she lied, closing her eyes. She wished he would leave her alone.

Featherpelt relaxed as soon as she felt him leave. She snuggled deeper in her nest and tried to empty her head of that horrible day in Thunderclan. This didn't improve her headache.

_Wouldn't I kill for some poppy seed. _She thought. Whitetail used to sneak her some after her squirmishes with Hawkclaw when they were all apprentices. Featherpelt reminisced in those memories, longing to go back to that simple time. She remembered pulling pranks on Hawkclaw and Falconwing with her sister and Cloudflight, sneaking out of camp with Falconwing to practice their battle moves, and swapping stories with the other apprentices at Gatherings.

"Here." Night's deep, raspy mew brought her out of her thoughts. She lifted an eyelid and saw him looming over her with a leaf bundle in his mouth. He dropped it at her paws. "Take only one of those. It should help you sleep," he said.

"Thanks." Featherpelt leaned down and lapped at one of the seeds. _How did he know I wanted this? _She wondered.

_A better question would be: how does he know some much about herbs?_ A voice said in the back of her mind.

Featherpelt thought about it for a second. It was a little odd a rogue would know so much about herbs unless his supposed ex-clan mother had taught him. She realized then there was a lot of strange things about the tom - how unbelievably nice he was to her, how he knew so much about the clans, his knowledge of herbs. It seemed incredibly weird to her.

_He's hiding something_. She thought not for the first time. She knew he was trying to give the impression that he had been a rogue all his life, but it was all a façade. One look at his den would tell any cat he had been part of the clans at some point.

"I'll ask him tomorrow," she whispered to herself as she drifted to sleep.

Featherpelt was greeted with a ray of sunshine when she woke up. _Mouse dung! _She thought angrily. _Why couldn't it rain one more day? _

She glanced over at Night's nest. The battle scarred tom was nowhere to be seen. She scanned the cave for him. He wasn't by the stream or getting fresh-kill from the now tiny pile. _Maybe he's out hunting. _

Then, Night padded into the cave, a vole and a skinny rabbit hanging from his jaws. "I thought we should eat before we go back to the Clans," he explained, setting the prey down.

"We-_We're_ going back to the Clans?" Featherpelt squeaked.

"Yeah. We've got to find out who killed Eaglestar," he mewed as if it was obvious. "Hurry up and eat. We have a day's journey ahead of us."

Night frowned at her when Featherpelt didn't obey. "Are you mouse-brained? Eat!"

Featherpelt trembled. "I-I ca-can't go back. They think I mu-murdered Eaglestar. They'll- They'll kill me," she stammered.

The older tom sighed. "They won't kill you as long as you stay hidden. I'll show you what to do." He scooped up the vole and placed it in her nest. "Now eat." Night said the order so fiercely, Featherpelt gobbled up her meal. Night watched her eat with satisfaction, then, wolfed down his rabbit.

As soon as the two cats were finished, Night dragged the remnants of the fresh kill pile and buried it outside. "I don't want my den smelling of crow food when I get back," he explained. After he finished his task, he marked the entrance of the cave to reinstate his territory, then, faced Featherpelt. "You ready?"

"Not really, but I don't have a choice, do I?" she remarked, sourly.

Night chuckled as if she had made a joke. "I'm not giving you one. Come on."

The two cats exited the den. Featherpelt shivered as she stepped into the chilly morning air. _Leaf-bare is definitely on its way. _

"Perhaps we could wait until new-leaf," she stalled. Night narrowed his eyes at her and flattened his ears. "I was just thinking. When we get there, there won't be a lot of prey, and if a patrol spots us, there won't be any undergrowth to hide in and – "

"We are going to back to the Clans to your name," Night growled, emphasizing every word. "If you want to stay here and starve during leaf-bare, be my guest. Most Clan cats don't survive out here during leaf-bare as rogues." He dropped his mew. "I just don't want you to share the same fate."

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. "Are you insinuating that I can't take care of myself?" she blurted, hotly, "I'll have you know I was the _best_ hunter in Thunderclan. I have found food for the Clan in the toughest-"

"Fine!" Night roared, cutting her off. Featherpelt froze, surprised the mild mannered tom could be so fierce. "Just know that winters without a clan are a whole lot harsher than standing with one." He gave a dramatic swipe of his tail and stormed off.

Featherpelt stared after Night, his words still echoing in her head. They made sense, but she couldn't bring herself to go back. Everything she knew was gone – her mate, friends, kits, and the support of her clan. If she dared set a paw in Thunderclan territory, she was sure they'd tear her to pieces and leave her body for the crows.

She clawed the ground. _Most_ _Clan cats don't survive leaf-bare as rogues. _Night had said. She knew - as much as she hated to admit it - he was right. She didn't know the area well, and if the leaf-bares are hard…

Featherpelt took off after Night, crashing through undergrowth. "Wait!" she yowled. "I'm coming!"

Featherpelt found Night sitting by a tree, licking a forepaw. He smirked as he watched her approach him. "So, you decided to come after all?" he said, dryly. The silver she-cat ignored the comment and sat beside him, trying to catch her breath.

After a few moments, she remarked, "Like you told me back there, I don't have a choice."

Night set down his forepaw and gazed at her. Featherpelt flinched. It felt as if his green gaze saw right through her. She turned away. "I thought you said you were going to wait until new-leaf," he sneered.

Featherpelt glared at him. "Being here should be good enough for you! Look, are we going to waste time arguing, or are we going to the clans?"

Night stood up. "I don't know. Maybe I changed my mind. After all, clearing your name doesn't seem like a big deal to you."

Featherpelt didn't argue with him. "How do we get back to the clans?" she mewed quietly, hoping that was a more sufficient answer than a retort.

Night turned his back to her and stared into the distance. "We need to go straight. It will dump us at what you clan cats call Highstones at Sun High. Then, by Moon High, we should be in the heart of the Clans' Territory."

_I think he means Four Trees_. She thought.

"Okay," Featherpelt mewed, rising on her paws. "Let's get going."

The two cats padded away from the tree and began their journey back to the Clans.


	6. Chapter Six - Wasted Time

The rogues were silent as they trekked across the forest. Featherpelt would have enjoyed her walk, listening to the birds singing in the trees, scenting the fragrant vegetation, and hearing the occasional rustlings of prey hiding amongst the undergrowth if it wasn't for the frigid wind. Twice she had stopped, much to Niight's annoyance, to fluff out her fur. By the third time, Night had threatened to claw it out if she tried again. She longed to curl up in the warm warriors' den to escape this biting weather. _I can't do that now_. She thought miserably. _I'm a rogue. _

The forest seemed to drag on forever. Featherpelt began to wish she had returned to the abandoned badger set. She should be getting ready for leaf-bare, not journeying on a fool's errand. By now she would have a fully stocked fresh kill pile and perhaps a few herbs close by in case she got sick or –

"We're here," Night announced, pausing at an opening in the trees. Featherpelt trotted to his side. They were standing on top of a hill, overlooking the landscape below. Dead moorland stretched out in front of them, stopping at a huge boulder. Then, farther away, she could see the four towering oaks of Four Trees, where she used to attend Gatherings with her clan. A feeling of homesickness struck her. She didn't realize how much she missed her forest until she actually looked at it.

"Nice view," Night commented.

"Yeah," Featherpelt answered, absent mindedly. She strained her eyes, hoping she'd see a trace of Thunderclan. Unfortunately, there were too many trees that still held their leaves, obscuring her vision of home.

With a sigh, she followed Night down the hill, half falling, half running the entire way. When the two cats crashed at the bottom, it was Sun High. "We should have been at Highstones by now," Night grumbled, "We'll have to run if we need to stay on schedule." Featherpelt groaned. _Not another run._

"Okay," she remarked, forcing any trace of whining out of her voice. "Let's go!"

The two cats raced across the moorland, their paws crunching the dead brown grass. Featherpelt kept up with Night, enjoying the feeling of running with a companion again. She envisioned herself with her clan mates on border patrol, Falconwing and her leading while Cloudflight lagged behind them, teasing her friends to behave.

A yelp of pain startled her out of her day dream. Night was limping, a thorn protruding from his paw. His pace slowed. Featherpelt tried to match it with his, but Night ordered her to keep going.

"You're hurt," she protested, stopping to get a better look at the thorn.

"Don't worry about me! I'll be fine!" He snarled.

Before Night could say anything, she clasped her jaws around the thorn and pulled it out. The rogue flinched. Featherpelt dropped the thorn on the ground. "Now give it a good lick," she instructed. _I sound like my brother_.

"What I need is some burdock root," Night remarked, licking his paw vigorously. "It's good for healing."

"How do you know so much about plants?" Featherpelt inquired, curiously.

Night didn't answer. He pretended to be too interested in getting his paw cleaned. Featherpelt sighed. _No answers for me today. _

"Hey, we're here," Night said, putting his paw down. He winced slightly.

Featherpelt turned around and came face to face with a massive rock. They were on the backside of Highstones! She glanced at the sky. The sun was lower, but they still had a good while before Moon High.

"Let's take a break and hunt for prey," Featherpelt suggested.

Night looked as if he was about to argue but said, "Okay," and dashed to the surrounding bushes.

Featherpelt opened her jaws for prey, something that felt weird at Highstones. Normally, she wouldn't feel hungry, thanks to the gagtastic traveling herbs her brother used to make her eat. _I'm glad I didn't have to eat them for this venture_.

She drank in the scent of rabbit. The she-cat turned her head slightly to the right and saw thin, brown rabbit nibbling on a root. She slinked towards the boulder and pressed herself against it, grateful for her silver pelt. She blended right into the stone. She froze when the rabbit lifted its head and sniffed the air, anxiously. Featherpelt relaxed when the rabbit returned its focus on the root. She dropped into a crouch and crept closer to it.

_Crack!_ Her paw stepped on a twig. The rabbit bounded away. Featherpelt raced after it, knowing it was no use. She chased it all the way to its rabbit hole where it disappeared under the earth.

"Mouse dung!" she spat.

She walked back to Highstones and gazed wistfully at the huge boulder. Six moons earlier, when Eaglestar died, she would have journeyed here to receive her nine lives. Now, she'd never get that chance. She figured even if she cleared her name, she'd never get to be deputy again.

"Maybe I should ask Starclan who murdered Eaglestar," she muttered. She walked to the front of the boulder and stared into the dark mouth of the cave. She shuddered. No matter how many times she'd gone in there, it still didn't change the fact how scared she was of the place. She forced a paw into the cavern. Then, another. Pretty soon, she was inching her way through the tunnel.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the tunnel opened up into a large space. Sunlight rained through the roof, striking a brilliant blue stone. Blue light speckled the walls, adding color to the dim space.

Featherpelt crouched by the Moonstone and touched her nose to it, like her previous leader did. She almost pulled away from it, for the stone was ice cold. Suddenly, she felt incredibly tired, as if taking her nose off the stone was too much work. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

She was awakened by a warm, green-leaf breeze. She glanced around her surroundings, surprised to see a lush, green forest compared to the practically dead one below her. She could hear prey rustling in the bushes and smelled the scents of many cats. _I'm in Starclan! _She thought, happily.

"What are you doing here?" a high voice demanded.

Featherpelt whirled around, pelt bristling. Maybe she shouldn't have come after all. She faced the cat before her, preparing herself to explain. Then, she locked eyes with a beautiful russet tabby she-cat with hard green eyes and a white underbelly. Her mind went blank. The cat in front of her was Cherryheart, her mother.

"Cherryheart?" Featherpelt called.

"Featherpelt?" the she-cat asked, her expression softening.

The two she-cats crashed into each other and entwined themselves in an embrace. "I missed you so much!" Featherpelt cried into her fur.

Cherryheart nuzzled her. "I did, too. And your brother. I've been watching you two ever since I joined Star Clan."  
Featherpelt glanced around her, hoping to see a glimpse of tortoiseshell fur. "Where's Maplepaw?"

Cherryheart purred in amusement. "Maplepaw is hunting. Probably with Frostfang."

Featherpelt giggled. "I remember she fancied him when they were apprentices." She remembered after he became a warrior, her sister had worked harder than ever to finish her apprenticeship early, so they could be together. Featherpelt flinched at the memory of their final hunting assessment. They were supposed to be made warriors that day.

Cherryheart, sensing Featherpelt's discomfort, changed the subject. She stared at her daughter, her voice hardening into a serious tone. "Featherpelt, it's great to see you again, but you really don't have any business in Star Clan. You're not a clan leader or a medicine cat."

It took all of Featherpelt's self-control not to lash out. "I know that," she mewed in a false calm voice. "That's actually why I'm here. I want to know who killed Eaglestar, so I can return to Thunderclan."

Cherryheart gazed sadly at her daughter. "I cannot tell you, Featherpelt. You'll have to find that on your own."

"But that's not fair!" Featherpelt yowled, stomping her paw in frustration. She knew she was behaving like a kit, but she didn't care.

"Life isn't fair," Cherryheart said, wrapping her bushy red tail around her kit's shoulders. "But we have to take it in stride and keep going."

She lowered her voice. "When you look for answers, remember this: _Beware the cat you call friend, or perish to a terrible end_."

Featherpelt blinked. "'_Beware the cat you call friend, or perish to a terrible end?'_ What is that supposed to mean?"

"Like I said, I can't tell you. You'll have to figure this one out on your own," Cherryheart said. She started to walk away.

There was something else that Featherpelt had been wondering. "Wait!" she called. Cherryheart paused and to turned to look at her. "Is my father up here?"

Cherryheart shook her head, gloomily. "No, he's not. He still has to fulfill his destiny before he can join our ranks."

"Can you at least tell me his name?" she begged. "Or at least what Clan he's from?"

Her mother gave her a secretive smile. "I'll let you figure that one out for yourself as well." Then, she vanished into a swirling fog.

Featherpelt woke up, surprised to find herself outside. Something was shaking her. She bolted into a standing position and accidentally flung Night back in the process.

"What on earth were you doing in that cavern?" he demanded. "I thought something happened to you!"

"I just – I just, er, wanted to see the, um, Moonstone," she lied, tripping over her words. She didn't want to tell the real reason why she went or what Cherryheart told her. Her mother's warning still echoed in her head. _Beware the cat you call friend, or perish to a terrible end. _Should she be wary of Night?

Night let out an exasperated sigh. "Now is not the time to take detours. In case you haven't noticed, it's dusk. We should have been half way to the heart of Clan territory by now."

Featherpelt felt guilty. Consulting Star Clan had been a waste of time. "I'm sorry," she murmured.

"Sorry catches no prey," Night grumbled, lashing his tail, irritably. "Come on. Let's see if we can make it by Moon High." He darted off towards the forest.

Featherpelt glanced at the sky and gulped. A full moon peeked out from a wispy, white cloud. Tonight, there would be a gathering at Four Trees at Moon High. The thought of being near all those cats bothered her. What if someone spotted her?

"Are you coming?" Night's voice rang out somewhere from the trees.

Featherpelt gritted her teeth and forced her legs to run, determination filling her limbs. "I need to stop acting a like scared kit and start being a warrior," she mewed as she neared Night. "If I die trying to clear my name, at least I can say I tried." An image of Night popped into her brain along with the warning. "But first, I need to ditch Night."


	7. Chapter Seven - Dark Side of the Moon

" We're here," Night announced. Featherpelt had to strain her eyes to see the black tom's outline, who was only standing a few tail-lengths away from her. It was hard to see anything ever since the moon disappeared behind some clouds. Twice she had gotten stuck in a bramble bush and had even gotten her paw caught on a root. _By the time we get to Four Trees, I'll be bald and missing a limb_, she had thought, thinking of all the tufts of silver fur she had left behind in the thorns. At the same time, Featherpelt was thankful for the darkness. It would be a lot easier to lose Night than it would be on a normal night.

Featherpelt padded up to her companion, forcing herself to act tired. It wasn't hard, for she had been running all day. She yawned and sagged her shoulders. "Can we rest now?"

Night nodded. "Yes, I see a nice spot where we can sleep," he said, gesturing toward to an invisible location. Featherpelt looked in its direction and pretended to see it. "That'll work," she mewed.

The tom sighed. "You can't even see it," he mewed, crankily. "That's okay. Ol' Night can lead the way, of course." He stalked off, not bothering to see if Featherpelt followed. The she-cat trotted after him, her aching paws protesting to stop. As he led her to the resting point, she sniffed the air, trying to scent anything familiar. In addition to the smell of undergrowth and prey, she detected the aroma of cats, especially Thunderclan. She tried to pinpoint any familiar scents but instantly recoiled. There was something else in the air, drowning out any other scent - the reek of blood.

Before Featherpelt could say anything, Night yowled, "Oh my prey!"

Featherpelt dashed up beside him. "What is it? What do you see?"

Night looked at her, his expression grim. "Now we know why it's so dark. There was a great battle here."

Featherpelt gasped. "But tonight was supposed to be a Gathering. The Clans are under a truce to not attack anyone," she cried. She squinted her eyes, trying to get a glimpse of the remnants of the battle. As if on cue, the moon made a quick appearance and illuminated the horrific scene in flash of silver before disappearing again. Bile rose to the back of Featherpelt's throat. That brief illumination was all she needed. Corpses littered the ground, their blood staining the ground crimson.

She suddenly turned away from the scene. She searched for Night's silhouette and found the tom still staring at the dead cats. "Let's go back," Featherpelt said, her voice shaky. "I can't deal with this."

Night didn't move.

"Night?" The tom didn't reply.

An eerie yowl responded. The fur along Featherpelt's spine stood straight up. "Night!" she pleaded, her voice high with hysteria. "We need to get out of here!"

The tom broke out of his trance and raced to the battlefield. Featherpelt dashed after him, dodging corpses and brambles. "Get back here!" she cried. "We – "

She never finished her sentence. Night had stopped at a shape sprawled on the ground. As she got closer, her breath caught in her throat. It was the Shadow Clan medicine cat Shatteredface! Featherpelt wouldn't have recognized him, if it wasn't the black spots that adorned one side of his face, for his fur was mottled with blood and dirt. The beautiful white tom laid on the ground, a large gash spewing blood from his throat.

Night buried his muzzle in the tom's fur, weeping bitterly. She heard him mutter something, but she couldn't make it out. She gazed at the scene, curiously. How did the tom know him?

Night lifted his head, his green eyes glaring at her. "What do you want?" he demanded, his voice scratchy with grief. His inquiry sounded so fierce, the she-cat took a frightened step back.

"I – I was just wondering how you knew him," she remarked, coating her voice with sympathy, "Considering you were never a clan cat."

Her companion's face softened as he focused his attention back to Shatteredface. "Good-bye, my friend," he said, getting up. He returned his gaze to Featherpelt. "I suppose I owe you an explanation. Let's get to the resting point I was talking to you about, and I'll explain. Unless you want to wait until morning, that is."

Thoughts of Featherpelt's earlier plan came to mind. She shook her head vigorously. "No, tell me tonight," she said, perhaps too eagerly. Night studied her, then turned around and lead her out of the battlefield.

_**Author's Note: Hey, everyone! If you have stuck with this story until the end of this chapter, you are amazing! I do not know when the next update will be since I take a lot of tough classes in High School, but it will up soon. Anyways, please review! (I don't care if they're mean!) If you'd like, please post who's your favorite character/who killed Eaglestar in the comments. FYI, I have this story posted on two different websites other than this one, so please, no comments about how I stole this from people. Thanks!** **Have a great day/night! God bless all of you beautiful/handsome people!**_


	8. Chapter Eight - Night's Back Story

Chapter Seven

Night led Featherpelt to a large hole in the base of a tree. "This shall do for the night," he said. The two cats quickly made a make-shift nest of leaves, pine needles, and twigs since they did not know where any good locations for moss were. Featherpelt could not get comfortable as she settled in her nest. The pine needles pricked her fur, and the leaves were not as soft as moss was. It did not help that the wind blew into the hollow, chilling her pelt. Not for the first time that day did she wish she was back in Thunderclan, in a warm nest in the warriors' den.

"Comfortable?" Night asked. He sounded nervous.

"Comfortable as I'll ever be in a nest of leaves and pine needles," Featherpelt remarked, though her heart wasn't into the sarcasm. Her excitement erased thoughts of her uncomfortable arrangement.

Night inhaled then exhaled loudly. "Do you remember when you made me promise not to judge you until you finished your story?" he implored. Featherpelt nodded. "Well, I beg you to do the same. There are parts of my tale, you may not like."

Featherpelt yawned. "I'm listening."

"Okay," Night said. His tail twitched, anxiously.

"Before I begin, I have something to admit." He paused. Featherpelt had a feeling on what he was about to admit. "I was part of the clans once –"

"I knew it!" Featherpelt blurted.

Night continued as if he had never been interrupted. "-though I was not from Thunderclan. I was from Shadow clan. My name was known as Nightfall."

The hairs along Featherpelt's spine stood up. Nightfall was a notorious murderer among the clans. Night must have known what Featherpelt was thinking, for he reminded her of her promise. "I know you think I am a cold-blooded killer, but you must understand. I _had_ to kill those cats. Otherwise, they would have exposed my secret." Night dropped his mew. Featherpelt inched forward in her nest, so she could hear him as he whispered, "I had to protect my family in another clan."

"Wait, you had a family in another clan?" Featherpelt asked, incredulously. She never thought that the scariest cat in the forest had a mate, much less one outside his clan.

He nodded. "I did. I knew it was against the warrior code, but I could not help myself. I believe I was too arrogant in my youth. I was deemed the best warrior in the forest, and I knew it. I thought I could get away with anything, for I was 'invincible.'" He gestured to the scars all over his body with his tail. "I picked fights with some of the strongest cats in my clan and occasionally with other cats in different clans."

He chuckled, relishing a happy memory. "My best friend Shatteredface, who was always the peacemaker, would tell me I didn't need to fight cats to show I was a great warrior. I did not listen to him. I thought, 'He's just a medicine cat. He's just soft.'

"Did you know he used to be a warrior?" Night asked, getting off topic. Featherpelt shook her head. "When we were little, we aspired to be the greatest warriors in the forest. I had a lot to live up to since my father was the deputy while Shatteredface wanted to prove that a disfigured cat can be a great warrior-"

"So those weren't spots on his face?" Featherpelt inquired.

Night shook his head. "No, those were places where fur never grew. He was very self-conscious about it, but rightfully so. The other cats, even his own mother, would pick on him for it. I would often stand up for him, which got me into a lot of fights. It was worth it, though. I learned all my battle moves from fighting seasoned warriors and novice apprentices. I think it made me into a better warrior.

"Not long after we became warriors, Shatteredface took a mate." He laughed. "I will never know what he saw in her, for the she-cat was not very smart or pretty, but if he was happy, I was happy. Unfortunately, one day, they were on a hunting patrol in the marsh, and she fell into a sink hole. Shatteredface did everything he could to pull her out, but she just sank into the mud."

Featherpelt gasped. "That's horrible!"

Night nodded. "The poor tom was devastated. A couple of moons after his mate's death, Shatteredface became a medicine cat. He told me he was not fit to be a warrior anymore and wanted to save lives, not destroy them, like he destroyed his mate's. I reminded him his mate's death wasn't his fault, but I guess when your heart breaks, your mind is never the same.

"I was upset. My best friend was as good as gone. Though we shared meals together and talked occasionally, we no longer went on patrols together. There were no more mock fights in forest, and no more reminders to control myself.

"For a while, I was numb. I got into more and more fights. Most of them I even started. Cats began to fear me, even in my own clan." Night laughed without mirth. "I visited Shatteredface so frequently, that he taught me a basic knowledge of herbs, and how to use them to treat my wounds.

"The fighting got so bad, my leader Darkstar had to ban me from going to Gatherings for a season. He also suspended my warrior status for getting into unnecessary battles. I was on apprentice duties for three moons and could not leave camp unsupervised for that long as well.

"After my sentence was lifted, I attended my first Gathering in moons. That was when I meet her." Night's voice softened. He had dreamy look in his eyes as he resumed speaking. "I was waiting for the Gathering to start when I heard a series of angry yowls. I turned around to see my clan mate Ravenclaw taunting a Thunderclan warrior. The Thunderclan warrior got angry and attacked Ravenclaw. I was about to go over there and break up their fight – and give Ravenclaw a good cuff on the ear for his stupidity – when a she-cat pried Ravenclaw off the other warrior. I assumed the other cat was her clan mate because she reprimanded him for almost breaking the truce. I was smitten. I had never met a she-cat brave enough to jump into a battle between two toms and manage to separate them. That was the beginning of my end."

"Then, what happened?" Featherpelt asked, leaning forward in her nest. Night's story was getting interesting.

"I wanted to get to know this peculiar she-cat. After the Gathering was over, I approached her and asked if she'd like to meet me at Four Trees the next night." He chuckled. "I was awkward. I had talked and flirted with countless she-cats and never had a problem, but with her, it was different. There was something special – and intimidating – about her."

"What did she say?" Featherpelt wondered.

"She turned me down at first," Night remarked. "She said that her mother's friend's mother had gotten involved with a cat in another clan, and their relationship only caused trouble for their clans. She did not want the same thing to happen. Then, she walked off. I yowled that the offer was still there if she changed her mind, but I thought she didn't hear me.

"The next night I went to Four Trees. I stayed until Moon High and was about to leave when I caught her scent. She came! I had asked what changed her mind. She replied she was curious what I had wanted.

"I told she had stolen my heart. I received a cuff me on the ear. She asked me if I had mud in my ears, or was I just plain mouse-brained? She said she wasn't getting entangled in a relationship with a cat from another clan. As she turned to walk off, we heard a tom yowling for her in the forest. She froze. She looked like prey that had been cornered by a predator. I shoved her into some undergrowth, and we waited until the cat left. After the tom was gone, she looked shaken. I had asked her what was wrong, but she didn't say anything. When she did speak, she said, 'I've got to go. I'll meet you here tomorrow night.'

"I don't remember walking back to my clan. I don't recall where the sun was in the sky, or if someone noticed me if I was gone or not. The only thing I do remember is that my feet felt as if they were walking on air, and I thought, 'Maybe I have a chance.'"

_I know the feeling._ Featherpelt thought sadly, as memories of Falconwing and her flitted through her mind.

Night's deep mew brought Featherpelt back to the present. "True to her word, she returned to our spot at Four Trees the next night. We sat in one of the oaks and just talked. She talked about how overprotective her best friend - that was the tom who had called for her the previous night - Eagletail was-" Night's next words got lost. Featherpelt's eyes bulged. Eagletail had been her leader's warrior name. His best friend, at least to her knowledge, was…_No! It couldn't be her!_ She yelled in her head. _It couldn't be. _

"-and I said that would be great," Night droned on, oblivious to Featherpelt's inattention. "From that moon on, we met at each quarter moon, so we wouldn't arouse suspicion in our clans. I was happy. I got into less fights and kept my paws clean. My leader noticed improvement in behavior and promoted me to senior warrior status.

"A moon later, we became mates, so we increased our meetings. We thought, 'We haven't gotten caught yet, so why not?'"

Night sighed. "I guess the elders' saying, 'Pride goes after a fall' is very true. After five moons of seeing each other, my mate told me she was expecting kits. I was ecstatic. That was when Ravenclaw, who apparently had followed me to Four Trees, had caught me with my mate. I remembered he sneered at me before he ran off, probably to go tell Darkstar or my father about my illicit relationship.

"I chased after him until I caught him right before he entered our camp. I told him that I would kill him if he ever exposed my secret, but Ravenclaw was never the smartest cat. He laughed and said, 'Bring it, rebel.'

"The fight wasn't fair. Ravenclaw fought like a rogue. His attacks were choppy and misplaced, but he fought with an intensity that was hard to suppress. I almost lost the fight had I not flung him off me. I did not realize how much force was behind the throw when I heard a blood curdling scream. I remember looking up in horror and saw him at the base of a blood-streaked tree."

The hollow was silent as his words sunk in. Featherpelt had never heard of cat killing another in cold blood, except in elders' stories. She really wanted to leave the den. Forget her promise, she wanted out.

"I quickly cleaned out my claws," Night went on. He sounded as if he had just committed the murder and was not sure what to make of it. "I made sure Ravenclaw didn't have chunks of my fur lodged in his claws either. I knew it was a matter of time before one of the clan cats would respond to the scream. Shatteredface and a patrol found me by the border moments later. They asked me what happened to Ravenclaw. I lied and blamed it on a fox. We had the wounds to prove it. The clan believed it was a tragic accident, except Shatteredface. He confronted me afterwards and told me he knew I killed Ravenclaw. He said that he also knew about my meetings with my secret mate, and I only killed Ravenclaw to shut him up. I begged him not to tell Darkstar. Shatteredface shook his head and walked off.

"I got scared. My best friend, the only cat that I trusted, was going to betray my secret. I was desperate, so I attacked him. I-"

"You tried to kill your own friend?" Featherpelt squeaked.

"You don't understand. I had felt guilt for it later, but –"

"You're despicable!" Featherpelt roared. "You did that just to protect your secret? Many sires of half clan cats don't even get kicked out of their clans!"

"Remember your _promise_, Featherpelt," Night snapped. "You promised to not judge me until I was finished with my story."

"Deal is off!" Featherpelt snarled. "You deserved to be exiled, murderer." Then, she ran out of the hollow, into the freezing night.

"Are you really going to run from your own _father_?" he called after her.

Featherpelt almost stopped but kept running. Her eyes watered, blurring her vision. That dastardly tom behind her was _not_ her father. "You're not my father!" She yelled over her shoulder. "Cherryheart would never fall in love with a criminal!" She vaguely heard him say, "Guess again," but she put on a burst of speed and continued running.


	9. Chapter Nine - A Familiar Face

Featherpelt woke up the next morning, finding herself underneath a yew bush. She was surprised to find that the bush still retained all of its leaves, though they were a dull brown and starting to crinkle. Out of habit, she glanced around for Night until memories of their fight last night flickered through her mind. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. _I hope I never see him again. _

She quickly groomed herself and was about to step out the bush to begin hunting when she heard a she-cat's voice. "I told you, Hawkclaw! I don't need supervision to take a walk!"

Dread filled Featherpelt's body. _Mouse dung!_ she thought. _I'm on Thunder Clan territory. _She crouched down, trying to make herself as small as possible. If those cats smelt her...

"Yes, but that was before we were at war with the clans, Cloudflight," Hawkclaw argued, "And you're lucky Falconstar didn't catch you. He'd put you on apprentice duties for a moon if you didn't have kits back in the nursery. Speaking of which, why aren't you taking care of them?"

Featherpelt's eyes widened. Hawkclaw, the biggest flirt known in the whole forest, the cat with the sharpest tongue in Thunderclan, had actually mellowed out enough to settle down with a she-cat - with her best friend, no less. She could picture Cloudflight rolling her eyes as she said, "Relax. Grayheart is watching them. Besides, I need some fresh air. The nursery is so cramped!" There was a slight pause. "Why are you even here? Isn't the clan's _deputy_ supposed to be on a patrol with Falconstar?"

_Falconstar? _Featherpelt thought, dumbfounded. _He's leader now?_

Hawkclaw sighed. "Yes, but-"

"Then go patrol. Worry about your clan, not me."

Hawkclaw sighed. "Make this walk quick," he mewed, his gruff voice softening with affection. "I don't want to see you get hurt. Falconstar -"

Cloudflight let out a _mrrow_ of laughter. "I can handle Falconstar. Now go patrol!"

There was a brief moment of silence before Featherpelt heard paw steps walking away. She waited a few moments before stepping out of the bush into a patch of sunlight. She let out a sigh of relief. "I can't believe they didn't scent me," Featherpelt mewed, basking in a warm patch of sun. The day was abnormally warm, considering how close it was to leaf-bare.

"I wouldn't be celebrating yet," a voice said behind her.

Featherpelt turned slowly around, bracing herself for an attack. She unsheathed her claws. _I just knew this was going to happen. _She thought as she faced an albino she-cat. The newcomer stared at Featherpelt, her expression unreadable. "How'd you know I was here?"

"Your fear scent was overwhelming. If Hawkclaw wasn't so worried, he would have smelt it, too," Cloudflight mewed, coldly. "What are you doing on our territory? Falconstar banished you."

Featherpelt's heart sank. _She thinks I am the murderer. _"I-I stumbled here by accident," she remarked. "I wasn't-"

Cloudflight cut her off with a laugh. The albino she-cat relaxed her posture and touched noses with Featherpelt. "I'm just playing, Featherpelt," she said. "I know you did not kill anybody." She entwined herself with Featherpelt in an embrace and exclaimed, "I missed you so much!"

Featherpelt sheathed her claws. "I missed you, too!" she mewed. "There wasn't a day that passed when I didn't think about you, Whitetail, or my kits. How are they, by the way?"

Cloudflight smiled. "They are doing fine. Sunpa- I mean, Sunstrike, became a warrior about a moon ago. Silverpaw is doing fine, though Whitetail is having a hard time keeping her away from flirting toms."

"Poor Whitetail! Silverpaw does realize that medicine cats can't have mates, right?"

"Try telling her has his paws full with her."

The two she-cats laughed.

Featherpelt lowered her voice. "How's Falconwi- I mean, Falconstar?"

Seriousness replaced her friend's features. "I guess you heard he became leader."

"Yeah, I heard Hawkclaw mention his name."

"Falconstar, well, I really can't tell you how he's doing."

"What do you mean?" Featherpelt demanded.

"Falconstar changed when you left. He is cruel, short tempered, and very strict. Just yesterday, Riverbreeze was leading a dawn hunting patrol and did not bring back a whole lot of prey. With it being close to leaf-bare, any cat would know that was normal, but not Falconstar. He ordered Riverbreeze's group to go back into the forest and not return until they had brought a suitable amount of fresh-kill. They didn't come back until moon high last night."

"That's horrible!" Featherpelt exclaimed. _That doesn't sound like the Falconstar I know. _

"It is," Cloudflight agreed. "And the sad thing is, Falconstar made them get up early and do another patrol." g

She shook her head. _What happened to my mate? _

"I better get back to camp before Falconstar finds me. Queen or not, I will be punished," Cloudflight mewed.

"Will you at least come back?"

Cloudflight shook her head. "I don't think I'll get another opportunity like this. It's very rare Falconstar leaves camp. In fact, had we never had that battle at Four Trees with Shadowclan and Windclan, I would not be out here talking to you."

Cloudflight touched noses with her friend and fled the scene.

Featherpelt stared after her. Only then did it hit her that she had missed a golden opportunity. _I should have asked if she had any information concerning Eaglestar. _She thought, mentally kicking herself. _I wonder if Cloudflight knows who killed him. _

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? A Shadowclan spy?"

_Oh, no. _


	10. Chapter Ten - Confrontation

Chapter Ten

Confrontation

Featherpelt's heart stopped. She recognized that voice. She knew who it was without even looking at him. A golden pelted tom stumbled out from behind a tree. Featherpelt gasped at the tom's appearance. Even though he stood more than twenty tail-lengths away from her, Featherpelt barely recognized Falconstar. He was missing tufts of fur from his unkempt pelt, which hung from his emaciated body as if it were trying to conceal how skinny it was. The tom had a nick in his right ear and a fresh wound that stretched from his shoulder to his flank.

His blue eyes locked onto Featherpelt as if she was prey. Featherpelt's fur stood out on end, her body rigid with fear. There was something wrong with the way he looked at Featherpelt. It seemed as if he viewed her as a piece of tasty fresh-kill. Every instinct told her to run, run as far as she could away from him. But she did not obey instinct. She was too scared to move.

"Hello, Featherpelt," Falconstar mewed, his tone unfriendly. His once soothing voice sounded raspy as if he had not drank any water in moons. "What do you think you are doing on Thunderclan territory? I thought I told you to never come back."

Featherpelt could have stayed frozen in place all day. This was her worst fear, meeting Falconstar on the violated terms of exile. Then, she remembered some advice her mentor had once told her: _When you face at your opponent, never show fear. _This reminded Featherpelt of what she said to herself yesterday: _stop acting a like scared kit and start being a warrior._

_It's time I start taking my own advice. _She thought. Featherpelt tried to make her fur to lie flat and squared her shoulders. "Falconstar, please listen to me," she pleaded, barely managing to keep the tremor out of her voice, "I never killed your father. I don't know who did, but I swear it wasn't me."

Falconstar's expression was unreadable. "I know you didn't kill him," he said, quietly.

Featherpelt felt a rush of relief. _He thinks I'm innocent! _She ran to embrace him, but Falconstar surprised her. He sprang from his spot and landed on her back. Featherpelt was forced to lay in the dirt, her limbs splayed out. _What's he doing? _

"I know you didn't kill him," Falconstar repeated above her. "I killed him."

Before Featherpelt could react, Falconstar flipped her over roughly onto her back. Featherpelt's back smacked the ground so hard, she felt the breath whoosh out of her lungs. She flopped on the ground like a caught Riverclan fish and gasped for air. "Why?" she choked.

Falconstar stood over her, rage and hate contorting his features. Featherpelt had never thought her former mate was capable of looking like this. She was used to the kind, courageous tom she had fallen in love with, not the cruel, angry cat standing over her.

"I killed him because of you," Falconstar snarled. His claws scraped across Featherpelt's belly, forming streams of warm blood. Featherpelt, who could now breathe, screamed. Though Falconstar's claws were blunt, they still hurt! Featherpelt tried to wriggle free from his grasp. She unsheathed her claws and attempted to throw Falconstar off her using her back legs. She figured as skinny as Falconstar was, that would be possible. However, the tom just grunted when her paws pushed against his stomach. Falconstar, then, repositioned himself over the she-cat. Featherpelt squirmed until Falconstar positioned his claws on her throat. "You were always Eaglestar's favorite," he growled. "Your mother wasn't even his kin, yet he always made sure you two were always taken care of. What was so special about you? You're not even full Thunderclan! You-"

"How do you even know about that?" Featherpelt hissed.

"Great Starclan, do you not know anything? The whole forest knows about it, Featherpelt! Secrets don't last forever." He smirked. "Although this secret is going to stay between us."

His claws sunk deeper into the soft skin. Featherpelt began to feel trickles of blood spill out. She struggled to take a breath.

Falconstar sneered. "I would think the former deputy would put much more of a fight." He laughed darkly. "I guess not."

Featherpelt knew she was going to die. The she-cat closed her eyes_. Returning to the clans' forest was a bad idea._ _I shouldn't have listened to Night! What kind of mouse-brained fool listens to an exiled murderer?_

Featherpelt felt the pressure of Falonstar's claws come off her throat. She knew he was going to slash her throat. His claws pressing against her throat was just a preview of what he was about to do.

She heard a distant yowling, but she assumed she was imagining it. No one was going to rescue her. If any Thunderclan cat spotted them, they would side with Falconstar. Cloudflight would probably just stand back and watch. And Night was entirely out of the picture.

However, the loner was wrong. Featherpelt felt Falconstar fall of her with a surprised yelp. She opened her eyes and gasped. Her rescuer, a battled scarred black tom was grappling with the golden tom. Despite Featherpelt's hatred of Night, her heart swelled with joy. Her father had come to save her!

"Featherpelt, run!" Night yelled before focusing his attention on Falconstar. "Not today, you fox heart!" he growled, scratching Falonstar's eye with his claws. Falconstar released a yowl of pain.

Featherpelt tried to get up and obey Night's command, but she felt as if she was frozen to the cold earth. She was forced to remain on the ground and watch her father and her former mate fight.

In retaliation to the scratch, Falconstar batted a paw in Night's direction. However, it was hard to see out of his right eye, so he misjudged where Night's position was to the point where his opponent simply sidestepped his assailant. Falconstar missed and stumbled to the ground as a result. He tried to get up, but Night jumped on top of him, pressing his soft belly in the dirt. "You mouse-brained idiot!" the black tom snarled, all the hairs along his spine standing up.

His eyes blazed with fury as he glared at Falconstar. "My daughter loved you," he said, angrily putting his claws to his opponent's jugular. Featherpelt found it ironic that Falconstar was receiving the same treatment he had just given her.

"But that wasn't enough for you, wasn't it?" Night continued. "You wanted that deputy position so bad, you would _kill_ for it. Cats like you make me sick."

"Look who's talking, Night_fall_!" Falconstar croaked.

Before Night could react, Falconstar kicked his assailant off him. The force of Falconstar's kick was so great, Night crashed into a tree only three tail lengths away. There was an audible crack when Night's spine struck the tree. The black tom didn't even scream when he landed on the ground.

"NO!" Featherpelt wailed as she saw Night's limp, crumpled body on the ground.

Falconstar sauntered over to Night and prodded him with a paw. Night didn't stir. There was no indication that he was alive. Falconstar laughed. "The greats just don't put much of a fight," he cackled.

Adrenaline surged through Featherpelt. She struggled to stand up before Falconstar turned around and finished his execution. She took a swift step forward. Just as Falconstar faced her, she sprang from her spot and landed squarely on his back. Falconstar's weight was forced to the ground but not before he swiped Featherpelt's muzzle with his claws. Featherpelt flinched but maintained her position over Falconstar. Without wasting time for words, she quickly bent down and fastened her jaws around her neck. Falconstar's body shuddered underneath her then laid still.

She took a step back and waited for his corpse to be reanimated. Every cat in the forest knew that leaders were granted the gift of nine lives. If a cat killed a leader in battle, unless the leader was on their final life, they would come back to life.

She waited for what felt like moons. Falconstar didn't come back. His body just laid in the dirt. _But how?_ Featherpelt thought. _Surely he wasn't on his last life. _

"He was," a voice confirmed beside her.

Startled, Featherpelt leaped backwards, the hair along her neck standing in all directions. A russet tabby she-cat stood next to her, her fur fading in and out, like a reflection on a river's surface. "Calm down, Featherpelt!" she said, gently, "Don't you recognize me?"

Featherpelt sheathed her claws. "How could it be his last life?" she asked, numbly. She wasn't in the mood for happy reunions. "He became leader less than four moons ago!"

Cherryheart shook her head. "The Gift of Nine Lives is only granted to those deserving of the leadership role," she said simply. "Those who kill to satisfy their ambitions are not granted additional lives."

"Oh." Featherpelt smoothed down her fur. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

Cherryheart didn't reply. She kneeled beside Night's body before answering, "I'm here to take him to Starclan."

"So he is my father?" Featherpelt demanded.

Cherryheart nodded as she pressed her nose into Night's fur. "I'm sorry it had to end this way, my love," she whispered.

"This what you meant by 'fulfilling his destiny?'" Featherpelt pressed.

Cherryheart twitched her tail in annoyance. "Yes, Featherpelt. Now, hush. This is harder than it looks."

Featherpelt's mother murmured a few words to Night's corpse and grabbed its scruff. She yanked hard on it before a black tom emerged out of the body. His glistening black fur was perfect, the gray hair tinging his muzzle was gone, and when the spirit spoke, its voice had no rasp to it. It sounded young and deep. "Greetings, Featherpelt," Night said, his green eyes shining.

Tears welled in Featherpelt's eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise last night," she said, her voice quivering. "You didn't deserve an end like this."

Night shrugged. "It's only fair. As the elders' saying goes, 'A life for a life.'"

A few tears escaped from Featherpelt's eyes. "How did you find me?"

The black tom laughed. "Where do you think you get your excellent hunting skills? I am a skilled tracker. I followed your scent trail, and it stopped here." He sighed. "I wish I could have gotten to in time before that fox-heart scratched your throat." He nodded to the shallow gash on Featherpelt's neck.

"It should have been me who died," Featherpelt murmured. "Not you."

Night gazed at her sadly. "Everything happens for a reason. Always remember that." Cherryheart cleared her throat, indicating that it was time to go. The black tom touched his nose to hers. Featherpelt shivered. His nose was as cold as ice. He chuckled. "I will see you in a few seasons."

Cherryheart wrapped Featherpelt in a quick hug. "See you soon," she whispered.  
Featherpelt watched as the two cats faded into a yew bush, tails entwined.


	11. Chapter Eleven - Homecoming

Chapter Eleven

Homecoming

Moments later, a Thunderclan patrol found Featherpelt with the dead cats around her. The patrol – comprised of Blossumleaf, Riverbreeze, and Hawkclaw – surrounded the loner. Featherpelt cringed at the sight of them. Her former clanmates looked like Falconstar – emaciated bodies racked with battle scars and fresh wounds. _Has leadership under Falconstar been this bad? _

Featherpelt felt the weight of the patrol's hostile glare. She waited for them to attack her, but, to her surprise, Hawkclaw spoke instead. "Did you do this?" he growled, his voice sounding gravelly.

The she-cat met Hawkclaw's amber eyes. She opened her mouth to reply, but the tom smacked her face. "I don't need you to say anything. I _know _you did this. Murdering my father wasn't good enough for you. You just had to kill my brother, too, and any tom-" He gestured with his tail to Night's body, "-that got in your way."

Featherpelt kept her mouth shut. Partly because of the throbbing pain in her cheek, but mostly because what Hawkclaw said was true. Except the part about her killing any tom that got in her way. She knew if she explained herself, Hawkclaw wouldn't believe her story. He would just assume that she had wandered on to Thunderclan territory to kill Falconstar. _If only Night was here to back me up_, she thought, glancing at her father's corpse - the only witness she had to Falconstar's confession.

Hawkclaw placed a claw under Featherpelt's chin and forced her to stare at him. Featherpelt winced as his claw dug into her skin. The Thunderclan deputy noticed and sneered at her. The rest of the patrol quietly watched the scene with unsuppressed curiosity. "Aren't you going to say anything? Surely, you have some story that explained how you were not involved in my brother's death. Don't you, you worthless piece of –"

Suddenly, a dark gray tom burst into the scene, his coat shiny with sweat. He didn't seem to notice Featherpelt or what his deputy was doing to her as he yowled, "Hawkclaw! You must come back to camp immediately. Shadowclan is attacking our camp!"

"What?!" Hawkclaw exclaimed, his amber eyes blazing. "This soon, Stormclaw?"

Stormclaw nodded. "Ye-Yes," he panted. "I just.. passed…a Riverclan patrol…on their way…to our camp."

Hawkclaw looked at his patrol then back at Featherpelt. "If we weren't at war with the forest, I would kill you myself," he snarled. "Leave and never return. Otherwise, I will not hesitate to kill you the next time I find you on Thunderclan territory." Then, with a flick of his tail, the Thunderclan deputy and his patrol raced off into the bushes towards camp.

Featherpelt could not believe what had transpired. Hawkclaw, the cat who hated her guts, just let her go? She figured the war must have been pretty bad for Hawkclaw to not have killed her.

Lightning rippled across the sky. Featherpelt shuddered, flashbacks of her sister and now deceased father filtering through her mind. _I should go_. she thought gloomily. _There is no reason for me to go back to Thunderclan. Everyone thinks I'm a murderer; Cloudflight has her own life now, and Falconstar is dead. _

The silver she-cat trudged towards the end of the clearing, trying to think of the route that would take her back to her new home. That's when she stopped dead in her tracks. _I can't go back. _Featherpelt told herself. _Night's death would be meaningless if I go back to being a coward._

She turned around and started running to the Thunderclan camp. Though it had been moons since she had been to her home, she still remembered the way to go. As she neared the gorse tunnel, the only entrance into the camp, Featherpelt heard screeches of fighting cats and the yowls of cats in pain. She put on a burst of speed and raced into the camp.

As Featherpelt took in the scene, her stomach felt as if it had crawled into her throat. The battle looked like a giant free-for-all. She sniffed the air and caught the scents of Windclan, Shadowclan, and Thunderclan. It seemed as if the entire forest seemed to be fighting each other in this camp. Fury coursed through Featherpelt's veins as she saw her son locked in battle with a tom two times his size. The two toms were standing on their hind legs, snapping at each other's throats. She was about to rescue Sunstrike when her son gained the upper paw. He let go of the tom and stepped quickly to the side. The momentum caused the tom to fall in the dirt like Sunstrike wanted. Sunstrike then ran his claws through his pelt, leaving behind long, jagged streams of blood. The tom cried out in pain and took off.

That's when Sunstrike noticed her. His face was expressionless as if he did not know how to react to her presence. "Featherpelt?" he rasped, surprised.

His mother touched noses with him. "Yes, love, it is me," she said, gently.

Sunstrike looked as if he was about to respond when a loud yowl filled the air. The two cats turned to see Hawkclaw fighting three huge cats. Without a word, Featherpelt and Sunstrike dashed towards them. Hawkclaw shot Featherpelt a murderous look as they approached the fight.

"I can take them!" he insisted, swiping a paw at a ginger tom. "I don't need your he-"

Hawkclaw's words were lost as the other two cats – a tortoiseshell she-cat and a white tom - focused their attention on the newcomers. The tortoiseshell leapt at Featherpelt. Featherpelt rolled out of her way and aimed her claws at her eye. She smiled in satisfaction as she felt her claws sink into the tortoiseshell's eye. The she-cat screamed but refused to run off. Instead, she smacked Featherpelt's paw away from her eye and threw herself at the loner. The silver she-cat tried to sidestep her opponent again, but the tortoiseshell had learned her lesson. She stuck a paw out and knocked Featherpelt off her paws. The loner stumbled to the ground.

The tortoiseshell she-cat smiled cruelly at the loner as she loomed over her. "I would have expected more from a-" The she-cat paused with a puzzled look on her face. "You don't smell like a Thunderclan cat. Who are you?" She didn't get her answer. Sunstrike pushed her away from Featherpelt, knocking the tortoiseshell into a rock. The tortoiseshell bounced off the rock and crumpled to the ground. Featherpelt would have thought the she-cat was dead had she had not seen her foe's chest slightly rising up and down.

The loner glanced around the clearing. Thunderclan appeared to be losing the battle. _We need reinforcements. _She thought. _But where? Every clan in the forest is he-_

That's when she realized Riverclan wasn't here. An idea formed in her head, and she ran away from the battle.

"But you don't understand, Skystar!" Featherpelt protested. "Thunderclan really needs your help! Cats are dying out there!"

Featherpelt was standing on the floor in the leader of Riverclan's den. She was trying without success to convince the black and white she-cat to help her clan in the battle.

"But why should Riverclan help Thunderclan?" Skystar snapped, lashing her tail. "What interest of ours is that your clan wins the battle? All your clan ever does is steal from prey from us. Perhaps a fight with the other clans might teach them a lesson. Besides, why should I trust the word of an exiled murderer? How do I know you aren't lying?"

Featherpelt let out a frustrated huff. It took all of her strength to refrain from blurting, "I am not a murderer!" because she knew Skystar would probably say, "That's exactly what a murderer would say."

_Starclan, help me! _She yowled in her head, desperate. Unfortunately, none of her warrior ancestors responded. Featherpelt was on her own.

"Look," the loner said, "I know that you think I'm a murderer, and I get that. I probably wouldn't believe me too if I strolled into your camp and told you the entire forest is attacking my clan. But, I swear to you by Starclan that what I am saying is true. Thunderclan needs your help."

"What interest is it of ours if we help Thunderclan?" Skystar's deputy Stoneeye demanded, echoing his leader's concern. Featherpelt jumped. She hadn't seen the mottled brown tom walk in.

Featherpelt forced to look the deputy in his one good amber eye. It was kind of hard to since his other eye was missing. "If you don't help Thunderclan win, who's to say Windclan and Shadowclan might try to take over Riverclan next or turn on each other? Think of the future of the forest. It would forever be in turmoil until we all wipe each other out."

Neither Skystar nor Stoneeye responded. They exchanged a look then returned their gazes to the loner. "We'll fight with you, Featherpelt," Skystar said, "But let me make myself clear. This does not excuse Thunderclan for stealing our prey for the past few moons."

Featherpelt wasn't sure what she was talking about, but did the diplomatic thing and answered her with a "Thank you, Skystar."

"Alright then," Skystar said. She turned to her deputy. "Stoneeye, gather a battle patrol. We have a battle to win."

Sorry for the long wait, guys. I have been extremely busy with school and had a very nasty case of writer's block. Hope you guys like this chapter! Please review or comment. (I need feedback). Have a great day/night!


	12. Chapter Twelve - Traitor in Our Midst

Chapter Twelve

There's a Traitor in Our Midst

By the time Featherpelt and the battle patrol of Riverclan cats made it to the Thunderclan camp, the battle was getting worse. It seemed there were more Windclan and Shadowclan cats who had joined the fight. Featherpelt's former clanmates looked worn out as they struggled to defend their home against the forest.

"Riverclan, attack!" ordered Skystar. Her patrol of warriors launched themselves into the fray. Some of the Windclan and Shadowclan cats looked surprised as Riverclan warriors aided their Thunderclan counterparts. Featherpelt herself rejoined the fight. To her right, she heard a hiss and spotted her former apprentice Grayheart, whose belly was swollen with kits, trying without success to defend the nursery against a wiry, ginger tom who, from where Featherpelt was standing, reeked of rabbit dung. The loner rushed over to help Grayheart.

"Give up, queen," the ginger tom said, trying to push past her. He did not seem aware that Featherpelt was running towards him. "You're in no shape to fight me."

"Then, fight me!" Featherpelt exclaimed, barreling into the tom's side. The ginger tom keeled over in the dirt. Featherpelt took silent pleasure in the tom's puzzled expression as he looked around to see who had knocked him over. When he stood back up, his eyes landed on Featherpelt and started to laugh.

Grayheart, meanwhile, had taken the opportunity to back further into the nursery until she was completely hidden. Though Featherpelt could not see them, she could hear the frightened mewls of kits, which the queen kept whispering, "It's okay. Everything's going to be okay."

"This battle isn't yours to fight, _loner_," the ginger tom said matter of factively, shaking the dirt from his pelt. Featherpelt flinched against the title. She HATED being called a loner. The tom noticed her reaction to the word and continued speaking. "Besides, you don't stand a chance against an experienced warrior." White hot fury burned through her veins. Featherpelt was so tired of everyone pointing out she was a loner today and treating her like a defenseless kit. She had once been a respected deputy of this forest, after all! Nobody, especially some lanky, foul smelling, crowfood eating, piece of foxdung of a Windclan cat, gets away with calling her a loner.

Featherpelt threw herself at the tom and cuffed him as hard as she could on the ear. The tom roared with pain and retaliated with a swift kick to her side. The loner fell over in agony as the breath whooshed out of her lungs. She laid on the ground, gasping for air.

The ginger tom sneered at her and stood over her. He opened his mouth to say something, but that was when Featherpelt regained her breath. She rolled over and, despite the protests of her agonizing side, flung the tom off her, using her back legs. The move may not have worked on Falconstar, but it worked on her opponent. The ginger tom landed on the ground a few tail-lengths from her with a loud grunt. He slowly got up and glared at her with a "This isn't over" expression before fleeing the camp.

Soon, the battle was over. The Windclan and Shadowclan cats all retreated back to their clans - all except their leaders. "Where is Falconstar?" the Windclan leader Briarstar implored to Riverbreeze. "I need to speak to him."

Riverbreeze, who was missing several patches of fur from his blue-gray pelt, glared wearily at Briarstar. "You just fought a battle and now want to speak to my leader? Be gone with you, you piece of foxdung."

"You can't talk to a leader that way!" chided the Shadowclan leader Mothstar, who was standing next to Briarstar. "Especially when you're just a warrior."

"My warriors can speak however they like to crowfood eating foxhearts such as yourselves," Hawkclaw retorted, limping up to the two leaders, though his voice didn't sound like it was into the retort. The Thunderclan deputy looked as if he was about to drop dead any minute. His eyes were glazed as if he was in pain, though the expression on his face was as fierce as ever. He obviously was trying not to show how miserable he actually felt. His whole body was racked with claw marks and bald spots. He even had a paw twisted in an odd angle.

"_Your_ warriors?" Mothstar challenged, the light gray hairs of his pelt bristling. "You're not their leader. Where is Falconstar? We need to talk to him about the issues of over territories."

"Falconstar is dead," Hawkclaw answered, his voice breaking. Thunderclan cats who were listening in gasped at the news and whispered about this revelation. "So that makes _me_ their leader."

"Falconstar is dead?" Briarstar echoed, incredulous.

"When did he die?" inquired Mothstar.

Rage shined in Hawkclaw's eyes as if Mothstar had just insulted him. "It doesn't matter when! Just tell me what you wanted to tell him then leave."

"It's the subject of territories. We-"

"Territories? You want to talk about territories?! I thought that's what this whole war was about! I'm not discussing territories with you. You may leave."

Briarstar quickly jumped between the two leaders, who looked as if they might kill each other. "Hold on for a heartbeat. It's not what you think," Briarstar quickly explained. "You see, seven moons ago, we discovered some prey had been stolen on some of our territories. It's one thing when the perpetrator eats the prey and disposes of the remnants properly, but it's an entirely another when they only take a bite of the fresh-kill, then, let it rot. It's a waste of perfectly good prey and very disrespectful."

Featherpelt gasped. _That sounds like the thrush I found that day I got exiled. But that had Shadowclan scent mixed with – _As Featherpelt reveled in the memory, she stopped in mid thought. Her heart went dead. No wonder the scent had been familiar. It had been Cloudflight's scent! But, as the silver she-cat thought of it, she couldn't put her claw on why her best friend would want to do such thing. Featherpelt glanced around the clearing, looking for the albino she-cat. She hadn't seen her during the fight. Her body filled with the dread. _I hope I am wrong_. Featherpelt thought, scanning the clearing more thoroughly. Suddenly, a fluffy white she-cat pranced into camp. She looked surprised and oddly disappointed as she surveyed her surroundings, but quickly changed her expression from disappointment to a "Oh my Starclan! What happened here?" face.

Not for the first time at that moment did Featherpelt wish her suspicions about Cloudflight were wrong. She pricked her ears forward to eavesdrop once more the leader's conversation. Maybe something they would say would prove her wrong.

"At first, we thought it was a rogue passing through," Briarstar was saying, "But when one of my warriors heard one of the Shadowclan apprentices blabbering about it at a Gathering, I knew we had to be dealing with a clan cat. Although the question was there – which one?"

"That's when I caught the scent of Thunderclan," Mothstar cut in. "I figured it had to have been one of your cats to begin with, considering how thin and weak you guys are."

Mothstar's revelation seemed to confirm Featherpelt's suspicion, but it still did not explain how the Shadowclan scent was mixed in with the prey. A shred of hope wormed its way into Featherpelt's heart. _Maybe Mothstar is lying. Maybe he is framing a Thunderclan cat to cover Shadowclan's tracks. But then again, how could he have gotten Cloudflight's scent? _

"Don't call my warriors weak," Hawkclaw snarled. "And get on with the story. I've got better things to do than listen to an elder's tale."

"_Anyways," _Briarstar continued, "Mothstar came and told me what his clan found at a Gathering. Of course, we told your leader Eaglestar about it, but the old fool –"

"That's my father you're talking abo-"

" –wouldn't believe us. He just said his warriors wouldn't do such a thing and thought we were lying. This went on for moons until, finally, we decided we had enough. Our clans are starving because of the wastefulness of this cat, and we went to war with you guys."

"That is probably the stupidest reason I have ever heard about going to war with somebody!" Hawkclaw exclaimed. "Now get off my territory before I chase you out myself."

The leaders looked at the tom skeptically as if he was incapable of such a feat, but they dipped their heads respectfully at the deputy. "I would never have thought of you as a fool, Hawkclaw," Briarstar called. "You were never like your father." Then, he followed Mothstar out of the gorse tunnel.

"They're not wrong, you know," Skystar said, strolling up to Hawkclaw.

"And what are you doing here?" Hawkclaw demanded. He looked really annoyed. "Thunderclan had this battle under control. We didn't need charity from a bunch of fish faces."

Skystar's blue eyes blazed with fury as she curled her lips at the Thunderclan deputy. "Don't think we came to give you charity, Hawkclaw. We only came to make sure Shadowclan and Windclan didn't win, for Starclan knows it would only be a matter of time before they attacked us." Her expression softened into a smirk. "Besides, if my clan hadn't arrived, your scrawny, underfed hindquarters would have been crowfood."

Hawkclaw huffed. "Whatever. How did you know we were under attack?"

Skystar nodded at Featherpelt. "Her."

Hawkclaw followed her gaze and gasped. "Her? But she's a tra-"

Skystar shook her head. "Hawkclaw, that she-cat is as much of a traitor as I am a mouse. If she really wanted to betray Thunderclan, why would she have gotten help?"

Hawkclaw thought about it for a moment. "I don't know. All I know is that lowly piece of fox dung killed both my father and my brother. And - I am not saying I believe Briarstar and Mothstar's stupid stories - she was probably the one who started the war between the clans. After all, she is a loner. Maybe she got angry about being exiled and wanted to start a war between the clans." As Hawkclaw thought about it some more, he smiled a crazed smile. "It makes sense. Featherpelt is clan born after all. Her scent still smells of Thunderclan. That would explain why, even after moons of living in exile, her Thunderclan scent would have been left behind after she wasted prey on other clan's territories. It all makes sense now."

Skystar sighed. "Hawkclaw, I really thought you were smarter than this. Clearly, your hatred of Featherpelt has blinded you to the truth."

Hawkclaw lashed his bushy, brown tail in frustration. "I have a lot of reasons to _hate _Featherpelt!" he roared. "Is _murdering_ my father and my brother not enough?"

"I don't know. Did you ever hear Featherpelt's side of the story?"

"Well, yes. For my father's murder, she spouted off some nonsense about how it wasn't her because she had been hunting –" He stopped in midsentence. His amber eyes widened as if he had just remembered something. A hush crept into his voice. "She also mentioned what the Windclan and Shadowclan leaders babbling." He shook his head. "But that still doesn't prove anything. She could have still done it and just reported it, so we wouldn't suspect her. And as for her killing my brother, I caught her covered in his blood."

"But did you listen to her side of the story?"

"Well, no. There was no need-"

"Then, why don't you do that right now?" Skystar suggested. Before Hawkclaw could reply, the black and white she-cat called for the loner to meet them. "Featherpelt, tell Hawkclaw what happened to his brother."


	13. Chapter 13 - Interrupted

Chapter Thirteen  
Interuption

Featherpelt gulped. That was the last thing she wanted to do in the world, even though it might clear her name with the clan. _Be brave_. She thought to herself as she trudged towards Skystar. Her side was still sore from her fight with the tom.

Hawkclaw gave Featherpelt a menacing look as she joined the leaders. "Well, Featherpelt?" the deputy said, gruffly. "What happened this morning?"

Featherpelt resisted the urge to shuffle her paws in the dirt. _I can't look nervous, or he'll think I really am guilty._ she thought. She, instead, relaxed her shoulders and looked at Hawkclaw in the eye. She opened her mouth to tell him about what had happened that morning when a wail cut her off.

Hawkclaw's glare quickly morphed into panic as he sprinted towards the nursery. Featherpelt and Skystar followed. Blossumleaf and her former mentor Hollyblaze – the clan's nosiest cats – had been watching the scene with interest until Hawkclaw shot them a mind-your-own-business look.

"You stupid cat! How could you lose Acornkit?" Cloudflight yowled at Grayheart.

The queen stared dolefully at her denmate; her body trembling. "I'm sorry, Cloudflight," she whispered, "I had them all with me after the battle ended, but –"

"Cloudflight, that's enough," Hawkclaw said, his voice firm and full authority, though his face did not reflect it. He seemed as scared and distraught as Cloudflight felt.

Featherpelt's heart, regardless of her suspicions, went out to her friend. She remember feeling scared when Sunstrike as a kit disappeared from the nursery one morning. She was so scared and sick with worry, she practically tore the nursery apart looking for her son. Eaglestar had sent out search parties and found the kit in the sandy hollow playing with Foxpaw.

"But she – she lost our kit!" Cloudflight screeched.

Hawkclaw stepped towards her; their noses almost touching. "It's not fair to blame her," he remarked, his voice barely audible. "We know how much our son loves to explore. With a battle that just happened in camp, it probably made him want to follow our enemies."

"How can you be so calm?" she demanded, taking a step back from Hawkclaw.

"Do you not think I am scared? Cloudflight, I am _terrified_ of what could happen to him! Standing here arguing with me and Grayheart is not going to find him faster either. What we need to do is send out some search parties to find him."

Cloudflight sniffed and stared at her paws. Hawkclaw wrapped his bushy tail comfortingly around her shoulders and leaned against her. "It's going to be alright," he murmured. "We'll find him."

He then leaned away from his mate and addressed the crowd of cats that had gathered around the nursery behind Hawkclaw's back. "Riverbreeze, Heatherfur, go and choose which cats you want for the search party. I, myself, will lead one as well. I want two cats to stay behind and guard the camp while I'm away. And Cloudflight-" he paused and gazed at his mate, "-I want you to stay behind."

Cloudflight looked as if she was about to protest, but the tabby brown tom cut her off. "It's just in case he comes back to camp." The white she-cat nodded her head in agreement and went back into the nursery.

As Riverbreeze, Heatherfur, and Hawkclaw organized the search parties, Skystar stood up. "I'm going back to Riverclan," she remarked.

Featherpelt felt a twinge of worry that Hawkclaw may not listen to her now that the mediator was leaving, but nodded her head anyway.

"I'll keep an eye out for Acornkit," she remarked before exiting the camp.

Featherpelt stood in the middle of the camp, not sure what to do. She felt like she needed to join a search party to help find Acornkit, but decided against it. She had a feeling most of the cats here were still convinced she was a murderer and probably would claw her fur off if she asked to join a search party.

"Psst, Featherpelt. Come here," Cloudflight hissed.

Featherpelt cocked her head at her friend. "Is it safe for me to go in there?" she asked, gesturing towards Grayheart, who was lounging outside the nursery, anxiously watching the cats leave camp. Though she did save the queen from that ginger tom, the loner figured Grayheart may not have changed her mind about her.

Cloudflight shook her head. "Don't worry about her," she remarked.

Featherpelt obeyed and padded towards the nursery. Grayheart gave her look as she stepped into the nursery, but didn't say anything.

It had been a long time since Featherpelt had been in this den. The smell of milk lingered in the air and the feeling of soft moss and feathers seemed to soothe the soreness in her pads. It was everything she could do to not just curl up in a nest and fall asleep.

A blur of white fur barreled into Featherpelt. "Take that, Shadowclan invader!" a tiny she-kit mewed, swiping at Featherpelt's leg. As she backed up to dodge the kit's strike, her tail exploded in pain.

"Ow!" she cried, craning her head to see a light brown tom biting her tail.

"Petalkit! Scorchkit! What do you think you are doing?" Cloudflight demanded, darting to Featherpelt's side.

The tom, who Featherpelt guessed was Scorchkit, released her tail. "This cat is invading the nursery," remarked Scorchkit.

"Yeah! And we're trying to defend our home," the she-kit, who must have been Petalkit, added.

Cloudflight huffed. "Well, get away from her. She is NOT an invader. She is my friend."

"How can she be your friend?" Petalkit argued. "She is not a member of Thunderclan."

Cloudflight lashed her tail. "It doesn't matter _how_ she is my friend. She just is. Now why don't you two play over there?" She gestured with her tail towards the front of the nursery. "I need to speak to this cat alone."

"I bet I can beat you to the bramble wall," Petalkit mewed to her brother before running.

"That's not fair! You got a head start!" Scorchkit protested before racing after his sister.

Featherpelt shot Cloudflight a grateful look. "Thank you," she mewed. "Now why did you call for me?"

The albino she-cat leaned towards her her friend and whispered, "We're sneaking out of here."

The loner tilted her head, confused.

Cloudflight sighed. "Where have you been for the last few minutes? Acornkit is lost, and I'm not going to sit around and wait for someone to find him! I want to be out there, looking for him, too! And you're going to help me."

Author's Note: The story will come to a close in Chapter 14. Stayed tuned for the next chapter.


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